Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I too commend the Green Party Senators on bringing this Bill forward. It is a welcome Bill and Sinn Féin will support it. I have a word of caution to offer in terms of how, at the moment, it does not join up with the proposed microgeneration support scheme. I will reflect primarily on this in my contribution, but I commend the Green Party Senators and I support the Bill.

Removing the barriers from the planning process is a prerequisite to rolling out solar panels on the scale that we need them, but it is not sufficient. The other enabling factor, as we have spoken about, is the microgeneration support scheme and that it is fit for purpose. Many people have long-championed the roll-out of solar panels and microgeneration. A colleague of mine in the Dáil introduced a Microgeneration Support Scheme Bill, whereby suppliers would have to pay the householder for excess electricity supplied to the grid from small-scale renewable energy. If done correctly, microgeneration could be a significant tool in helping people enjoy the benefit of the transition away from fossil fuels. For too long, the approach has been focused on more stick than carrot. It could help people to lower energy bills and provide some income, which Senator Garvey spoke about in terms of schools. It could add to the State's overall renewable energy production and it could help our schools, community groups and farmers to enjoy a much-needed new stream of income.

The change to the planning regulations is a necessary step but, in and of itself, it is not sufficient. Both the support scheme and the planning regulations must be in place if we are to see rooftop solar energy on the scale that is needed. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of joined-up thinking between this planning regulation and the proposed microgeneration support scheme. To illustrate this point, I take primary schools as an example. The Bill before us removes the burden that schools would face in getting planning permission. That is very welcome and it will make it more appealing for schools to develop solar energy, but if the proposed microgeneration support scheme, that was put to consultation this year, is anything to go by there are significant structural barriers built into the scheme's design that would make microgeneration financially unfeasible for schools. I speak to the caps on the amount of electricity that could be sold back to the grid. A school would only be able to sell a fraction of the electricity it generates to the grid. Senator Garvey mentioned that the summer months are a primary opportunity, when not much electricity is used and when much electricity generation could occur. During the summer, a time of peak solar output, the school would only be paid for a fraction of the return it would make under of the current scheme, as per the consultation.

The design of that scheme is supposed to encourage self-consumption first rather than selling back to the grid, but for schools that are empty three months of the year, that does not make any sense. This will have a negative consequence on the business case for investing in solar panels. While schools will be eager to be environmentally conscious, we cannot expect them to make the required investment if it does not make financial sense. It would be difficult for schools to make the numbers stack up. It appears the Government is aware of that. According to the support documentation that accompanied the consultation, there would be a very low rate of uptake among schools of between 0.3% and 2%.

If we want schools to benefit from the transition, we need to get this right. I call on the Minister of State to reconsider the caps that schools will face. I know he is currently reviewing the responses to the consultation, but we need a joined-up approach to the planning barriers and the barriers in the support scheme. Otherwise, the significant benefits of this Bill would be in vain. Hopefully, we can align those interests and get this done right. I commend the Greens on bringing this Bill forward.