Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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547. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the public consultation on the strategic environmental assessment of the draft bioenergy strategy will take place. [29403/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The potential of the bioenergy sector to make a significant contribution to a wide range of Government policy objectives, including energy and waste policy, is well recognised. My Department is in the process of finalising a bioenergy plan to capture this potential through the development and introduction of measures to encourage the growth of Ireland’s biomass and bioenergy sectors.

The draft plan is currently undergoing a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) which will include a public consultation to take place before the end of the year. This will be advertised on my Department's website at www.dccae.gov.ie.

The introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a commitment in the draft Bioenergy Plan and in the Programme for Government and will be the primary support mechanism in the heating sector designed to meet Ireland’s renewable energy obligations. The aim of the RHI is to build on the progress already made in the renewable heating sector and to help reach Ireland’s 12% target by 2020. In 2015, it is estimated that 6.8% of heat was derived from renewable sources.

Over the last few months, the Department has undertaken a detailed economic assessment on the design and cost of the RHI and this work is now almost complete. Once finalised, there will be an additional public consultation phase on the design of the new scheme. Before the RHI is introduced, the overall costs and technologies to be supported will be subject to Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission. It is expected that a new scheme will become available in the latter half of 2017.