Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if an issue raised by a person (details supplied) in relation to the cost of solar panels will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47196/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Government approved the final design of the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) targeting 380MW of new renewable electricity generation by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan.

Targeting the grant scheme, including removing the minimum BER requirement and including homes built up to 2020, ensures that the grants available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) maximise emission reductions and deliver energy savings for the widest range of micro-generators possible, as well as ensuring efficient use of scarce public financing.

The MSS scheme is currently offering capital grants of up to €2,400 to domestic and non-domestic applicants through the SEAI Solar PV scheme and since the introduction of the domestic Solar PV grant in early 2022, the SEAI have seen application levels double from the previous year. This indicates that the demand for the scheme, as it is currently designed, is very high.

In addition, the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff is now available to new and existing micro-and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment for excess renewable electricity that they may export to the grid, reflective of the market value; which further supports the investment.

Solar PV is also one of a range of measures funded under the SEAI Communities Energy Grant Scheme which makes grant funding available to improve the energy efficiency of the building stock and is open to domestic and non-domestic applications.

Included in measures targeted at consumers under the National Energy Security Framework (NESF) announced by Government is a fully funded €20m scheme for medically vulnerable people with high electricity usage to install rooftop solar PV. The SEAI is currently working with key stakeholders and I expect publication of the details on the SEAI website in near future.

Finally, my Department is also engaging with the Department of Finance and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland to develop a new Low-Cost Residential Retrofit Loan Scheme. This loan guarantee is an important initiative aimed at mobilising private capital to support the low carbon transformation of Ireland’s existing housing stock in line with the Climate Action Plan targets and the Programme for Government ambition.