Anne Ferris (Wicklow, Labour)
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950. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the quantity in megawatts of renewable energy generating capacity that has received final planning permission by local authorities or An Bord Pleanála since 2000; the exact quantity of renewable energy generating capacity which, under the planning permission granted, may be connected to the national grid in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49684/14]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (REFIT) schemes, administered by my Department, are the primary means through which renewable electricity is supported in Ireland. The REFIT schemes are funded through the Public Service Obligation. The Commission for Energy Regulation’s (CER) Decision Paper (CER/14/361) of July 2014 states that a total of 1,874 MW renewable generation capacity is included in the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy for 2014/15. At end of 2014 there was approximately 2,500 MW of renewable generation capacity connected to the national grid.

One of the eligibility criteria for support under the REFIT schemes is that full planning permission has been issued by the appropriate planning authority for the construction of the relevant electricity generating plant at the site, or that the applicant demonstrates that planning permission is not required.

All parties applying to connect to the national grid apply to the relevant System Operator, either the Transmission System Operator (TSO), EirGrid, or the Distribution System Operator (DSO), ESB Networks. The relevant System Operator will then issue a Connection Offer to eligible parties, termed 'Live offer'. Should a party wish to connect to the grid, it then executes this offer to form a Connection Agreement upon which the project is termed 'contracted'. In addition to planning permission, projects supported under REFIT must have an executed grid Connection Agreement. Once the Connection Agreement is executed, the necessary connection works are undertaken to connect the project to the grid. Once these are completed, the project is termed 'connected/energised'.

The System Operators have provided the data in the table below which give the current status of projects granted permission to connect to the grid in the period since 2000: