David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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292. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason only homeowners including landlords, whose homes were built before 2011 can apply for the solar electricity grant in order to help with the installation of solar PV panels; his plans to allow owners of houses built since 2011 to apply for this grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51287/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the grant scheme to help homeowners to install solar PV panels on their home. To date, some 7,135 applications have been supported, with 1,926 Building Energy Ratings of B2 or above achieved.  The scheme is only open to homes built and occupied before 2011 because those houses must be in compliance with , which relates to the energy performance of buildings requirements. There are options to meet this requirement under the standard by including heat pumps and/or solar PV. However, grants are not targeted at meeting compliance requirements, but at increasing the energy efficiency of older dwellings that may not have been constructed to the same standards as newer builds. 

Targeting the grant scheme at homes built before the renewable energy requirement for new homes was introduced ensures that the grants available through the SEAI maximise emission reductions and deliver energy savings for the widest range of homeowners possible. There are currently no changes to this requirement for access to the scheme envisaged.

The Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff represents the first phase of a comprehensive enabling framework for micro-and small-scale generators in Ireland allowing them to receive remuneration from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity exported to the grid which reflects the market value of that electricity, regardless of the build year of a property.The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a consultation on a draft enabling framework on 1 October which outlines the details for the introduction of the CEG payment including eligibility criteria and timescales for introduction, with a decision expected to be published in November and a compensation regime expected to follow shortly afterwards.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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293. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the amount expended on the solar electricity grant in each year since its inception; the number of installations completed to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51288/21]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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301. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of homes that will receive financial assistance under the solar PV grant programme in 2022; the estimated average grant; the estimated impact this will have on electricity demand and carbon emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51296/21]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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302. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of households that have received a grant to date under the solar PV scheme in each year; the impact this had on carbon emissions to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51297/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 293, 301 and 302 together.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) administers the grant scheme to help homeowners to install solar PV panels on their home. The scheme was launched in July 2018. The table below outlines the scheme statistics for each year. Figures for 2021 are as at 30 September 2021.

26.2 MW installed under the scheme to date equates to an annual output of 20,960 MWhs, which equates to supporting 64.6% of the annual demand for these homes.

€10 million is allocated for the scheme in 2022, an increase on the €8 million allocation for 2021. The number of grants which could be achieved in 2022 with this level of funding, as well as the average value of grants and the impact of the scheme in terms of MW installed and emissions avoided, is dependent on factors such as installation size, the rate of battery installations etc., which vary between applications.

Grant supports for domestic solar PV in 2022 will align with the upcoming Clean Export Guarantee tariff and other supports to be offered under the planned Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS). My Department is developing a final scheme design for the MSS, and it is expected that a proposal on the supports to be offered will be submitted to Government later this year.