Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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281. 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; if this scheme will be fully operational by mid 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12419/17]

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 overall costs and technologies to be supported including the rates to be paid per kilowatt hour relative to boiler size, an analysis is underway of all submissions received to the final public consultation on the RHI which closed on 3 March. Ultimately, the rate the RHI tariff is set at will be a factor of the renewable heat  technology in question, the size of the boiler or unit and the sustainability and air qualify criteria that form part of the new scheme.

Before a new RHI scheme is introduced, the scheme will be subject to Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission. It is expected that the RHI scheme will be introduced before the end of the year.