Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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1013. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the status of the proposed renewable heat incentive scheme; when he expects the scheme to be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34095/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The introduction of a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) is a commitment in the Energy White Paper and the 2016 Programme for Government and will be the primary support mechanism in the heating sector designed to meet Ireland’s renewable energy obligations.  It is currently envisaged that the implementation of the RHI would assist Ireland in reaching our 12% target in the renewable heating sector by 2020. Provisional data indicates that 6.6% of heat demand was derived from renewable sources in 2016. My Department has undertaken a detailed economic assessment on the design and cost of the RHI for the industrial/commercial sector in Ireland. This analysis included a range of renewable energy technologies and focused on large commercial and industrial heat users in the non-Emissions Trading System (ETS).

The final public consultation process on the design and implementation of the new RHI closed in March 2017 and 119 submissions were reviewed by my Department. All submissions to the RHI public consultation have been published on the Department's website at: www.dccae.ie. The findings from this public consultation are currently being evaluated to help inform final decisions in relation to the scheme.  At this stage, a number of important factors are still under consideration including overall costs, technologies to be supported and general design.

It should be emphasised that the introduction of any scheme would be subject to Government approval and State Aid clearance from the European Commission.