Written answers

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Environmental Schemes

Photo of Seán CanneySeán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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226. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the deep retrofit scheme will be in place and ready for contractors to begin work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19240/22]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme introduces a new, highly customer centric, way to undertake home upgrades. SEAI registered One-Stop-Shops will provide an end-to-end service for homeowners. This includes surveying; designing the upgrades; managing the grant process; helping with access to finance; engaging contractors; and quality assurance.  

The Scheme offers unprecedented grant levels, increased from circa 30% to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump.

Following Government approval, the SEAI registration portal opened for companies to apply to be a One-Stop-Shop, building on the preparatory work already undertaken. SEAI are focused on engaging organisations capable of professionally managing all aspects of a One Stop Shop service. Therefore the registration process, for this new service, must be robust.

The SEAI advise that five One Stop Shops have now been registered and this number is growing rapidly as SEAI is actively working with applicant organisations to support them through this registration process.

Details of the registered One Stop Shops, including their contact numbers, are available on the SEAI website.  A guide to advise homeowners through the various steps to completing a whole house upgrade under the One Stop Shop Service is also available on the SEAI website.

The other schemes operated by SEAI are also available for applications.

Photo of Carol NolanCarol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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227. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the micro-generation support scheme will become operational allowing solar panel owners to receive payment for their contribution of residual energy to the national grid; the reason for the delay in the scheme becoming operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19244/22]

Photo of Jennifer Carroll MacNeillJennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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228. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the timeline for proposed legislation to allow for electricity suppliers to credit persons on excess electricity produced by means such as solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19269/22]

Photo of Peter BurkePeter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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233. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the microgeneration scheme will be operational to allow for the payment of domestic supply to the national grid following the installation of smart meters in domestic settings with solar panels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19309/22]

Photo of James O'ConnorJames O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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237. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 124 of 21 September 2021, the position regarding the micro-generation support scheme; if he will provide a timetable for the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19400/22]

Photo of James LawlessJames Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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254. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will examine a matter regarding PV panels (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19640/22]

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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319. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will address a matter regarding payments for households (details supplied);; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20922/22]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 227, 228, 233, 237, 254 and 319 together.

The final design of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) was approved by Government in December 2021 and will be published shortly. The phased introduction of supports has already begun with the commencement by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) of the MSS domestic solar PV grant on 16 February last.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 create an obligation on suppliers to offer the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff to new and existing micro-and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment for excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value. I am aware that some suppliers have already published their CEG tariffs.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a decision on an interim enabling framework for the CEG which outlines the arrangements for the implementation of the CEG, including eligibility criteria and remuneration methodology. More information is available on the CRU website (www.cru.ie). Micro-generators who wish to become eligible should register for an export grid connection from ESB Networks and have a smart meter installed where applicable. More information is available on the ESBN website (www.esbnetworks.ie). The CRU has decided that suppliers will set their individual CEG tariffs on a competitive market basis but is not setting a date or deadline for the timing of the first payment. Once eligible, customers can expect an initial payment or credit from their suppliers from 1 July depending on their billing cycle.

The CRU encourages customers to contact their supplier to obtain information on their supplier's CEG tariff arrangements.

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