Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 336: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will direct Sustainable Energy Ireland to provide grant aid for small residential wind turbines in view of the goals set out in the recent Green Paper on sustainable energy. [36140/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government is committed to developing domestic scale renewable electricity and heat technologies. Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has undertaken work on Metering Options for Small Scale Renewable and CHP Electricity Generation. The study identified a number of areas which require further analysis including the ability of such processes to secure adequate payment for their exports, a review of connection standards and processes for smaller generators, and the implications of the Single Electricity Market for small-scale electricity generation.

These technical and administrative issues are currently being addressed, and my Department is working with the relevant agencies, including SEI, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), ESB Networks and the Electro-Technical Council of Ireland in this regard.

As part of the ongoing work to progress this area, the CER launched a public consultation in early October on arrangements for micro generation which deals with metering issues.

We are working to ensure that the appropriate administrative, technical and safety standards and practices are in place to underpin programmes for the widespread deployment of micro generation technologies. I am confident that appropriate solutions suited to the context of the Irish electricity grid and for non-grid connected technologies will be developed with a view to progressing this emerging sector.