Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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140. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when payments for energy generated by domestic solar panels will be paid to persons who are selling electricity back into the grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33755/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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On the 15th February this year I signed the Regulations (SI 76 of 2022) that 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. 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 here: www.cru.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/CRU21131-Interim-Clean-Export-Guarantee-Decision-Paper.pdf

Micro-Generators who wish to become eligible should register for an export grid connection from ESB Networks (Micro-Generators (esbnetworks.ie)) and have a smart meter installed, where applicable (Smart Meter Upgrade FAQs (esbnetworks.ie)).

Over 30,000 micro- and small-scale generators have successfully registered for export and 22,500 of this cohort have smart meters which means they are already accruing the value of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff for their exported electricity, and payments will be backdated to the date of eligibility or the 15th February 2022, whichever is the latest.

The CRU has decided that suppliers will set their individual CEG tariffs on a competitive market basis. Once eligible, customers can expect an initial payment or credit from their suppliers from 1st July depending on billing cycle. The CRU has asked suppliers to communicate their decision to their customers on when initial Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) payments will be made at the earliest opportunity.

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

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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All applications for petroleum authorisations submitted to my Department are considered under a robust assessment process. Applications are assessed against a number of criteria from a technical and financial perspective in accordance with Section 9A (1) of the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960 and Section 3 of the 2007 Licensing Terms for Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production. It is important to note that this assessment process is informed only by financial, technical and environmental considerations and not by energy security or broader energy policy matters. In March 2022, the European Council directed the European Commission to develop a plan that will phase out EU dependence on Russian fossil fuel imports. RePowerEU plan was subsequently published by the Commission on 18 May 2022 in response to this. Careful consideration by Member States of the measures proposed by the Commission is now required, and in particular regarding the proposal to reopen several legislative files within the Fit for 55 Package.

As stated in the plan, “REPowerEU is about rapidly reducing our dependence on Russian fossil fuels by fast forwarding the clean transition and joining forces to achieve a more resilient energy system and a true Energy Union.” This is broadly in line with Ireland’s ambitions in renewable energy with a target of 5GW of offshore wind to be installed by 2030. The plan also calls for more investment in cross border energy infrastructure including electricity interconnection as this will help realise a more resilient energy union. Ireland currently has two interconnector projects in development, and we are in the process of strengthening the policy framework for interconnection with the National Policy Statement on electricity interconnection scheduled to be updated by the end of 2022.