Written answers
Thursday, 24 February 2022
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Energy Production
Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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151. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way he has incentivised micro-energy providers; the way he has encouraged domestic, commercial and agricultural consumers of energy to move from off-peak consumption; if the national grid will facilitate community energy groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6051/22]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The final design of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) was approved by Government in December 2021 and will be published shortly.
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.
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 with installations between 6.1kW and 50kW will be able to apply for a Clean Export Guarantee tariff for electricity exported to the grid. These supports are expected to be in place later in the year.
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 Commissioner for Utility Regulation (CRU) is currently working on the regulatory framework to facilitate renewable energy communities following a recent public consultation.
Finally, the Smart Meter Programme is well advanced across the country with over 600,000 smart meters installed in domestic homes. These maters allow consumers to have better information about their consumption, make bills more accurate and allow consumers to avail of new "Smart" tariffs and services from Energy companies including smart off-peak rates
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