Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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47. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if micro or community led renewable energy projects will be given access to the national electricity grid in future Government legislation. [41840/17]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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61. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which the current RESS plan announced by him will encourage or facilitate disadvantaged or rural communities to participate in renewable energy projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41842/17]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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79. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which the new RESS scheme will help local communities embrace renewable energy projects such as wind energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41838/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos 47, 61 and 79 together.

My Department is currently developing a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its renewable energy contribution to EU-wide targets out to 2030. The design of the new scheme has included an extensive independent economic appraisal. This appraisal compared the cost of supporting a range of commercial renewable electricity technologies, at various scales, to ensure that the new scheme delivers value for money for energy users whilst also delivering on the energy pillars of sustainability and security of supply. The assessment also included analysis of the optimum financial support mechanisms for renewable technologies, in line with the 2014 EU State Aid Guidelines.

The new RESS will provide pathways for delivering on the 2015 Energy White Paper commitment to ensure communities and citizens are at the centre of the future energy transition in Ireland. Communities are effectively being designed into the fabric of the new scheme and a comprehensive assessment of polices and support measures to increase community ownership from renewable electricity projects has been undertaken. International best practice has been examined, and the most effective policies to increase community ownership and participation in renewable electricity projects have been assessed and examined within an Irish context.

Examples of some of these policies include a mandatory requirement for all renewable electricity projects seeking financial support through the new scheme to offer investment and/or ownership opportunities to the local community; the facilitation of grid access for community-led projects; a ring fencing of capacity (MW) for community-led projects; and the establishment of a national community benefits register. Furthermore, the Scheme will establish a network of trusted intermediaries who will act as independent facilitators between communities and developers to support community participation in renewable energy projects.

These recommendations could have a profound effect, boosting community ownership of and involvement in the renewable energy transition in Ireland.

Micro generation, including the use of solar PV panels on domestic rooftops, was also appraised as part of the RESS economic assessment. The analysis identified a number of challenges that may need to be addressed before the introduction of a tariff for exported electricity from solar PV rooftop installations. These include amongst others, a reform of network charges, an assessment of the distributional impact of such a policy decision on the PSO (cost burden sharing), and development of a fair tariff for exported electricity taking the benefits of self-consumption into account. This approach is in line with experience from other EU member states who have attempted to introduce supports for micro generation.

I am committed to finding an appropriate mechanism for supporting micro generation, as I believe that micro-generation will have an important role in Ireland’s transition to a carbon free economy, in assisting Ireland meet its renewable electricity targets, and increasing social acceptance of and promoting renewable energy projects right across the country. I have asked the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to facilitate a workshop on micro generation, and this will take place later this month. All relevant stakeholders will be invited to participate with the end goal being the development of a policy position on how best to support micro generation in Ireland.

A public consultation on the design principles of the proposed new RESS was launched on 4 September and submissions are invited from the public. All submissions will be considered and following on from this final public consultation, a design proposal will be brought to Government for approval. Full details of the consultation are available on my Department’s website at: www.dccae.gov.ie