Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the steps he is taking to support renewable energy projects on farms here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24256/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The range of renewable energy support measures in place includes a number of measures that may prove particularly suitable to farmers or those living in rural areas.

In the first instance, there are measures in place to support the generation of electricity on a micro scale as I announced earlier in the year. These measures include a guaranteed price of 19 cent per kilowatt hour of electricity produced. This competitive feed-in tariff will apply to the first 4,000 micro-generation installations countrywide over the next three years. Access to the feed-in tariff will also include the provision of a smart-meter to facilitate exports to the grid and encourage those customers to examine their electricity use generally. Eligible installations include small scale wind, photovoltaic, hydro and micro combined heat and power. While there is an upper limit on the size of eligible units, this type of technology would still prove worthwhile for farmers, if only for their own residences.

The initiation of a pilot trial by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) of micro and small-scale generation technologies is designed to investigate and test technical, market and regulatory issues associated with the deployment of micro-generation technologies including installation, network connection and operation, and generation. Grant aid for up to 50 pilot installations, will be provided as part of the programme. The experience gained in the performance of this programme will inform the roll-out of any subsequent wider micro-scale programme.

Traditionally, the electricity network was designed to accommodate the flow of electricity from large centralised plants to customers dispersed throughout the country. Micro-generation at local level now introduces two-way flows to the electricity system. Local generators will have the ability to be paid by the ESB for electricity that is surplus to their own requirements and export it back to the national grid.

Opportunities also exist in the areas of Biomass production and Anaerobic Digestion (AD). Leaving aside the market development effects of programmes like Greener Homes and the Renewable Heat Deployment Programme (Reheat), both of which have acted to stimulate the market for biomass, a number of other capital support programmes are also in place. SEI's Combined Heat and Power (CHP) grants programme launched in August 2006, assists the deployment of small-scale fossil-fired and biomass CHP systems in industrial, commercial, service and public sectors, and the new Biomass CHP Programme, launched in January 2008, provides grant aid for Biomass and Anaerobic Digestion CHP. Anerobic Digestion, in particular, offers a real opportunity for farmers to use animal waste to generate electricity, while also reducing the environmental impact of that waste when spread on the land. Refit tariffs have also been announced for biomass and AD CHP.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the degree to which funding is available for research and development in the alternative energy sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24329/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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As published in the Revised Budget, the Energy Research allocation for 2009 is €16,676m, of which €642,000 is current and the remainder is capital. This allocation will allow a broad range of Programmes to continue, such as the Renewable Energy Research, Demonstration and Development (RD&D) programme, and the work of the Ocean Energy Development Unit. This suite of programmes reflect the strategic direction set out in the Irish Energy Research Council Report, and in the 2007 Energy White Paper entitled, 'Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland – The Energy Policy Framework 2007-2020'.

In particular, the Government is giving high priority to supporting the development of Ireland's ocean energy potential. The multi-annual Ocean Energy Package, which I launched last year, encompasses the establishment of the Ocean Energy Development Unit based in Sustainable Energy Ireland; the creation of a state-of-the-art National Ocean Energy facility in University College Cork; the development of a grid-connected wave energy test site off the west coast; the establishment of an Ocean Energy Prototype Fund; and the introduction of a new feed-in-tariff under the REFIT scheme for wave and tidal technologies of €220 per Megawatt Hour. I am pleased to confirm that all components of the Package are under way and are being progressed as a priority, with the full involvement of stakeholders, by the Ocean Energy Development Unit.