Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

97. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on his Department's policy on supporting the development of anaerobic digestion plans for electricity production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44793/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department has developed a number of schemes to support production of renewable electricity in Ireland. These schemes include the grid scale, auction based Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) and the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS), for installations up to 50 kW in size (30kWe for micro-renewable Combined Heat and Power). The RESS and MSS schemes both include anaerobic digestion (AD) for electricity generation under the category 'Biogas with High Efficiency Combined Heat and Power' as an eligible technology . However, no AD projects have come through the RESS auctions to date.

The Climate Action Plan also commits to the development of a support scheme for small-scale generators (SSG) above 50kW, i.e. larger than MSS  but smaller than RESS scale. This is expected to come into effect in 2023. My Department launched a public consultation on proposed elements of the SSG scheme which is open until the 29th September: https://www.gov.ie/en/consultation/353f2-consultation-on-a-small-scale-generation-support-scheme-ssg-in-ireland/.   

The range of renewables to be supported under the SSG will be determined in the design phase, after taking on board views in the public consultation.

Ireland currently has 6.3% of its heat sector demand met by renewable energy. While progress is being made, significant action is needed to reduce emissions and increase the supply of renewable fuels across the heat sector. Anaerobic digestion for renewable heat is supported through the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH). The SSRH is a Government funded initiative designed to increase the energy generated from renewable sources in the heat sector whilst also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme is open to commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating, public sector and other non-domestic heat users and is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SSRH provides an operational support for biomass boilers and anaerobic digestion heating systems and an installation grant for renewable heating systems using heat pumps.

In line with the recent agreement on Sectoral Emissions Ceilings to deliver up to 5.7 TWh of biomethane to further accelerate the reduction of overall economy-wide emissions, an obligation on the heat sector to include renewable heat will be introduced by 2024. The introduction of this Obligation will incentivise the use of renewable heat, while spreading the obligation across all non-renewable fuel types.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

98. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the renewable energy grants or funding sources that are available to owners of newly built homes considering current Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland guidelines for renewable energy grants refer only to homes built before 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44798/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department funds a number of grant schemes to support homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their existing properties. The schemes offer grants for individuals who can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades as well as free energy upgrades for people at risk of energy poverty. Improving these homes has resulted in warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes that are easier and cheaper to heat and light.

Near Zero Energy Building requirements for new dwellings were introduced into the Building Regulations in April 2019 by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The NZEB requirements make it more attractive for builders and homeowners to further incorporate renewable technologies and move away from fossil fuels for heating. There are options for meeting compliance including heat pumps and/or solar PV.

The Building Regulations have been progressively updated over the last decade in order to improve the energy and carbon dioxide emissions performance of all new dwellings. Many of the techniques required to achieve NZEB, such as improved fabric and renewables, have been introduced on a gradual basis into Part L of the Building Regulations since 2007. These incremental improvements have effectively eased the transition and minimised the additional effort and costs required to achieve the NZEB performance for dwellings.

A modelling and cost study was carried out by an external cost economic consultant for the Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) for NZEB. The average uplift in cost across all dwelling types modelled was 1.9%.

Grant funding to improve energy performance is available for existing homes because these homes were not required to meet the most up to date NZEB Building Regulations. It is important to note that the grants available through SEAI aim to maximise emission reductions and deliver energy savings for the widest range of homeowners possible. The grants which are available, and their respective eligibility criteria, were selected as the most likely to deliver significant energy savings to homeowners as well as the best value for money for the Exchequer. Grants are not targeted at meeting compliance requirements when building a new home.  

Full detail of the grants and grant amounts are available on SEAI’s website.

Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

99. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will make a grant available to householders who wish to purchase a solar SV battery storage system in order to store electricity which has been sourced by solar, wind or by night-rate electricity at off-peak times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44801/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) who administer Solar PV grants under the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS), undertook an assessment of continuing the previous battery grants under the MSS and found that with the current high cost of batteries, coupled with their low storage capabilities of only a few hours and their relatively short lifetime (currently in the region of 10 years); that a stand-alone battery grant did not represent efficient use of limited Exchequer funds.

The Government offers supports to deliver on the target of 1 million Electric Vehicles (EV) to be deployed by 2030. The battery in EVs is of a higher capacity than a typical domestic battery storage solution for micro-generation. In the future, it may be possible for EV batteries to be used to store excess micro-generated electricity during the day and provide electricity after daylight, and this could represent a better investment for the householder.

It should be noted that micro-generation installations including battery storage systems are still eligible for grant support but there is now no need to install a battery to avail of the maximum grant and, with the introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises is now eligible for an export payment which further supports the investment.

Further to the CEG I am aware that most suppliers have now published their CEG tariffs, which range from €13.5c/kWh up to €20c/kWh. While maximising the consumption of self-generated renewable electricity by matching electricity use against the peak generating times of your Solar PV system will provide the most benefit to offset rising electricity costs; the range of CEG tariffs allows customers to shop around and switch suppliers to obtain the best overall value.