Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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475. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources when the renewable heat incentive scheme will be introduced; the rate to be paid per kilowatt hour; the rate to be paid per size of boiler; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40670/16]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a commitment in White Paper on Energy and 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, 6.5% of heat was derived from renewable sources in Ireland.

The proposed RHI scheme is aimed at supporting larger industrial and commercial installations outside of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) to change to heating solutions that produce heat from renewable sources.

Before a final decision is taken on the renewable heat technologies to be supported, there will be an additional public consultation phase on the design of the new support scheme. The next consultation will be published shortly, and details will be posted to the Department’s website  . The overall costs and technologies to be supported  including the rates to be paid per kilowatt hour relative to boiler size will be subject to Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission. I hope to be in a position to announce the introduction of the new scheme in the latter half of 2017.