Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Through the first two RESS auctions, my Department has provided pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects through the application of a community projects category. Through my Department’s continued engagement with renewable energy communities, RECs, there is evidence of significant challenges that REC projects may face with the auction-based nature of RESS, along with other barriers to project delivery. Therefore, support for communities for the development of renewable projects will now transition to SRESS. That scheme will not be auction-based; rather, it is anticipated that support will be through an administratively determined feed-in tariff.

This export tariff phase of SRESS, which will support small-scale and community renewable projects, is due to be launched later this year with the full scheme opening expected in 2024. It will offer a simpler route to market for community projects and will align more closely to the experience and capacity of the community energy sector. It is expected that SRESS will support a more sustainable delivery pathway to the renewable energy community target of 500 MW by 2030.

A set of technical and financial supports for community projects are currently available to communities in a community enabling framework under RESS. Similar supports will be available to community projects under this new support scheme.

The SRESS grants are already available for renewable self-consumers, above 50 kW and up to 1 MW, through the non-domestic microgeneration scheme and the business grants and supports scheme.

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