Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 430: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to include wind energy for grant aid under the greener homes scheme. [11657/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The emphasis on the Greener Homes Scheme is to provide grant aid for renewable energy heat technologies.

The Government is committed to developing domestic scale renewable electricity and heat technologies. A number of technical and administrative issues are currently being addressed in order to streamline processes and regulations in relation to micro-generation.

As part of the ongoing work to progress this area, the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) issued two consultation papers on micro generation and on authorisation and licensing of small scale generators. These consultations should lead to more simplified processes that are appropriate to micro-generation in Ireland.

My Department is working with all relevant agencies and the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) 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. The White Paper on Energy Policy confirms the Government's intention to realise the potential for distributed generation.