Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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81. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the date that the new micro-generation support scheme will become operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21782/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The phased introduction of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) has already begun with the commencement of the MSS solar PV grant on 16 February last for domestic applicants who can apply for a capital grant up to a maximum of €2,400 from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) without any minimum BER requirement and homes built up to 2021 are now eligible. The SEAI plan to introduce a grant in July for installations up to 6.0kW for non-domestic applicants, e.g. businesses, farms, schools, community and sports organisations etc., 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 greater than 6kW up to 50kW. 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.

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 (CEG) tariff to become available for eligible 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. I am aware that some suppliers have published their CEG tariff.

ESB Networks has confirmed that over 21,000 micro-generators have met the eligibility criteria, are accruing the benefit of their supplier's CEG rate for electricity they export to the grid and can expect an initial payment or credit from their suppliers from 1 July depending on their billing cycle.