Results 1-12 of 12 for solar power speaker:Steven Matthews

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2024)

Steven Matthews: ...target objectives. These amendments are around applications for renewable energy projects, not just solely limited to wind projects but also including the fantastic advances we have made in solar, at both utility and mini-generation scale, for example, anaerobic digesters and battery electric storage systems. All of these are going to become more prevalent, I hope, over the coming years....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Proposed Changes to River Shannon, Grand and Royal Canals and River Barrow Navigation By-laws: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Jan 2024)

Steven Matthews: I have one more question on access to services. At the moment, people can be almost off grid on the waterways. They can have solar panels and batteries and they do not need to be plugged into the mains power. If there is a requirement to plug into mains power, will those plugs need to be tested and certified for electrical installation?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (21 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: ...energy efficiencies in place, getting that heating, getting those walls insulated, taking the fabric first approach, keeping the heat in when it is generated, new doors and windows etc. Putting solar panels on roofs is the next step in that regard. I can think of no better example to set those young minds in those schools than when they see the advances we can make in technology and see...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (21 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: I am delighted the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, is here to answer this question regarding solar panels for schools. Last October, we announced in the budget that we would roll out solar panels on schools for free. It is a very sensible suggestion. It can power the lighting and the interactive white boards in the schools. The increase in the number of school meals we rolled out...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Mar 2023)

Steven Matthews: I want to ask about the roll-out of solar panels for schools, which was announced in the budget last year. It is a sensible measure to assist schools with their energy costs, to provide lighting, to power whiteboards etc and to heat meals under the expanded hot school meals programme. When I visit schools and am asked when they will get their solar panels, what should I tell the teachers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 3) Regulations 2022, Planning and Development (Solar Safeguarding Zone) Regulations 2022: Discussion (29 Sep 2022)

Steven Matthews: My experience is that solar panels have a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years along with the inverters. The difficulty that might arise is with battery systems, but batteries are not required in all installations. It depends on the make-up of the household and when power is used. People need to consider that carefully. A payback period of seven years for something with a 25-year life...

National Retrofitting Scheme: Statements (17 Feb 2022)

Steven Matthews: ...we all know that. We are recruiting people, setting up centres of excellence and increasing the number of apprenticeships available. My nephew recently started an electrical apprenticeship with a solar company and asked me for advice as someone who served an apprenticeship many years ago. I told him to be careful on the rooftops installing solar panels and that he had decades of good,...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 16 - Valuation Office (Revised)
Vote 23 - Property Registration Authority (Revised)
Vote 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Steven Matthews: ...to develop their plans so that, when funding is announced, they are shovel-ready and ready to go. I hope that is in place. On energy efficiency and retrofitting, the planning exemption for solar panels is critical. We are coming into the sunny season now. There are megawatts of potential power up there in the sun. We could have panels on every school building, community building,...

Regulation of Providers of Building Works Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Jan 2022)

Steven Matthews: ...highly energy efficient and highly insulated homes running on renewable energy. We need to harness the renewable energy opportunity we have in this country. Part of that involves the use of solar panels. I wanted to put a question to the Minister of State last night about solar panels but I did not get a chance to do it. We need to ramp up the fantastic opportunity solar power offers...

Covid-19 (Higher Education): Statements (14 Jan 2021)

Steven Matthews: ...homes, cut fuel bills and reduce harmful emissions, and in doing so we will also improve external air quality. We have seen poor air quality across Dublin in recent weeks. The installation of solar photovoltaic systems and battery banks will allow us to produce our own electricity. A public consultation was launched today by the Department of the Environment, Climate and...