Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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42. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to increase the amount of electricity being generated from renewable sources; and the steps he is taking to develop micro generation. [3176/19]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In achieving our renewable energy targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009, Ireland has set a national sub target of meeting 40% electricity requirements from renewable sources by 2020. Ireland is committed to achieving this and the latest data from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) indicate that 30.1% of our electricity came from renewable sources in 2017. The Government has adopted a range of policy measures and schemes to incentivise the use of renewable electricity including the Renewable Energy Feed-In-Tariff (REFIT) schemes. In addition, my Department is developing the new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), which will be designed to assist Ireland in meeting its renewable electricity ambition of 55% out to 2030. In July 2018 a new pilot scheme to support micro generation was introduced, initially targeting domestic self-consumption through a grant scheme for solar PV installation and battery storage. A review of the pilot scheme will inform potential future phases of support for micro generation. As I outlined in the Dáil on 27 November last, in response to the Micro Generation Support Scheme Bill, I am supportive in principle of providing a route to market for citizens and communities to generate their own renewable energy and receive a fair and efficient price for doing so. This very much aligns with Ireland's energy policy as set out in the Energy White Paper 2015 and wider EU energy policy goals.