Written answers
Thursday, 24 February 2022
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Energy Production
Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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101. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to encourage the generation of energy for provision to the grid by private individuals, organisations or community groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9467/22]
Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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102. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which he intends to maximise the roll-out of solar PV to schools, community buildings and sports clubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10258/22]
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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146. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will devise a grant scheme to encourage the installation of solar panels on the roofs of farm and industrial buildings. [10180/22]
Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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150. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the development of microgeneration in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9361/22]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 102, 146 and 150 together.
On the 15 February this year I signed the Regulations that transpose Articles 21 and 22 of the recast Renewable Energy Directive which brings these Articles into force. These Regulations allow the Clean Export Guarantee tariff to become available for micro-and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value.
Additionally I bought forward the final design of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) which was approved by Government in December 2021 and which will be published shortly.
The phased introduction of supports has already begun with the commencement of the MSS domestic solar PV grant on 16 February last, with grant levels up to €2,400, the removal of the minimum BER requirement and increasing eligibility for homes built before 2021.
Non-domestic applicants, e.g. businesses, farms, schools, community buildings etc., will be able to apply for a grant for installations up to 6.0kWe, at the same grant amounts as domestic customers.
Larger non-domestic applicants will be able to apply for a Clean Export Premium (CEP) tariff for installations between 6.1kWe and 50kWe. The CEP will be offered at a fixed rate for 15 years, and eligible volumes will be capped at 80% of generation capacity to encourage self-consumption.
Community enterprises including sports clubs and community halls will be eligible to participate, either as individual micro-generators or as community projects within the MSS. The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is currently working on the regulatory framework to facilitate renewable energy communities following a recent public consultation.
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