Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 444: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the refit price for co-firing miscanthus in power stations will be implemented; and if the price will be paid to the producer. [23009/10]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he or his Department have examined the support structures that are available in other EU countries which allow farmers and other small businesses to generate electricity from farm waste and wind in a way that farmers here and small businesses cannot do; if he will ensure that the necessary changes are put in place to maximise alternative energy and ensure that intensive farming can be retained from a nitrate directive point of view; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23236/10]

Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 449: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question Nos 230, 232, 233, 234 and 235 of 12 May 2010, when the refit price for co firing in the peat power stations will be announced; if he now has this information to hand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23238/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 444, 447 and 449 together.

I recently announced new Renewable Energy Feed In Tariffs (REFIT) for biomass, which will range from 8.5 cent per kilowatt hour to 15 cent per kilowatt hour depending on the technology deployed. The tariff is payable to the generator. The technologies supported include Anaerobic Digestion Combined Heat and Power, Biomass Combined Heat and Power and Biomass Combustion, including provision for up to 30% co-firing of biomass in the three peat powered stations.

Taken together, these new tariffs will underpin the development of a robust and sustainable biomass supply sector in Ireland by stimulating demand for biomass and build on the measures already in place such as the REHEAT programme and the Energy Crop grant schemes run by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. These new tariffs will require State Aids clearance by the EU Commission before they can be implemented and my Department will be seeking the requisite Commission clearance as soon as possible noting that the process takes a number of months.

My Department, through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) also runs a number of capital grant aid programmes for Combined Heat and Power installations, and for renewable heating installations. SEAI's Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Programme assists the deployment of small-scale fossil-fired and biomass CHP systems in the industrial, commercial, service and public sectors. The Biomass CHP Programme provides grant aid for Biomass and Anaerobic Digestion CHP. Anaerobic Digestion, in particular, offers opportunities for farmers to use animal waste to generate electricity, while also reducing the environmental impact of that waste when spread on the land.