Written answers

Tuesday, 20 September 2022

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Renewable Energy Generation

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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78. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures that he is taking to increase public and community-owned and led renewables projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45787/22]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) includes a dedicated community category developed specifically to allow communities and citizens to participate in and benefit from the development of renewable electricity generation.   In the first RESS auction, seven community projects were successful, two of which were 100% community owned, the remainder being at least 51% community owned. Of the RESS-1 Community Projects, five were solar projects and two were wind, with four of the solar and both wind projects currently progressing through the scheme's delivery milestones to commercial operation this year or at the latest by the end of 2023. For the second RESS auction onwards, all community projects must be 100% community owned. Ten community projects were successful in the second RESS auction, eight of which are solar projects. These projects are expected to deliver by 2024 or at the latest, by the end of 2025.

Alternatively, the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) provides capital grants for both domestic and non-domestic applicants, such as public and community bodies, for solar PV installations up to 6.0kW, primarily for self-consumption, with grant levels up to a maximum of €2,400 available. These solar PV grants are administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and will become available to non-domestic applicants by the end of September.

Suppliers are now obliged to offer a Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff to new and existing micro-and small-scale generators, so that they receive payment for excess renewable electricity that they export to the grid, reflective of the market value. More information is available at: Clean Export Tariff - Commission for Regulation of Utilities (cru.ie).

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is due to consult on an implementation plan for the Clean Export Premium (CEP) tariff by the end of 2022. This guaranteed export tariff support for new non-domestic installations greater than 6.0kW up to 50kW in size, is fixed for 15 years. For 2023 the rate will be 13.5c/kWh. 

The Climate Action Plan commits to the development of a support scheme for small-scale generators (SSG) above 50kW to support the deployment of rooftop and ground-mounted solar PV. Supporting the development of public and community led projects will be a central focus of the scheme design. The scheme is expected to come into effect in 2023. A public consultation on proposed design elements of the SSG scheme is open until the 29th September.

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