Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

549. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if the Government will encourage all the electricity providers to pay domestic producers of electricity either by solar or wind, as opposed to only one company (details supplied). [29421/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Responsibility for the regulation of the electricity market is a matter for the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and I have no function in the matter.  I am aware that since February 2009 Electric Ireland has offered a feed-in tariff on a commercial basis to domestic micro-generators. Electric Ireland decided to close the scheme to new entrants from the end of 2014. More recently, Electric Ireland extended the tariff to their existing customers from the end of 2015 until the end of 2016.  To date, no other electricity supplier has chosen to provide such a tariff, to either domestic or commercial customers, although they have been invited to do so by the CER.

Previously, a joint Electric Ireland/ ESB Networks micro-generation support scheme for domestic micro-generators operated from February 2009 to February 2012. This scheme closed to new entrants in February 2012 but a support tariff continues to be provided to existing participants who were accepted into the scheme prior to that date and until the fifth anniversary of their contract start date.

The Energy White Paper published last December sets out a high-level framework for Ireland's energy transition to a low carbon economy and society and identifies a range of measures and actions to support this aim. Exploring the scope to provide support for renewable micro-generators will form part of my Department's on-going analysis to underpin the introduction of a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).

In-depth economic analysis is underway to inform the cost of a new support scheme and the design of the support tariff - whether in the form of a grant payment or feed-in tariff. While no decision has been taken on the precise renewable technologies to be supported, the cost and technical viability of a range of renewable technologies - including solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind are being examined as part of the assessment process.

Once the detailed economic analysis is complete, there will be an additional public consultation phase on the design of the new scheme. The details of this will be advertised on the Department’s website, www.dccae.gov.ie.