Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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194. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if approval will be given for the unit price for the export of solar units to the national grid in relation to the young farmers initiative for the installation of solar photo voltaic panels to promote green energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31003/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government commits to expanding and incentivising micro-generation, including solar energy, to help citizens, farms and businesses generate their own renewable electricity for their use and to sell excess electricity back to the grid. Under the Climate Action Plan, a Micro-Generation working group, chaired by my Department, is developing an enabling framework for micro-generation which tackles existing barriers and establishes suitable supports within relevant market segments.While the primary aim of a micro-generation scheme is to enable electricity users, including farmers, to meet their own electricity needs, it is envisaged that a suitable payment for excess electricity generated on site and exported to the grid will be available to all renewable generators in the second half of 2021, subject to regulatory arrangements, in line with Articles 21 and 22 of the recast Renewable Energy Directive (RED II).

Article 21(2)(d) of RED II provides that the rate of remuneration for exported renewable electricity shall be one which reflects the market value of that electricity and which may take into account its long-term value to the grid, the environment and society. This provision will be reflected in the transposition of the Directive into Irish law.