Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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174. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of solar photovoltaic installations targeted for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48608/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Solar PV panels are installed under a number of scenarios and are supported under a number of Department funded and SEAI administered schemes. For domestic installations, solar PV is installed on new homes, as one of the measures to achieve compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations. They are also installed on existing buildings through grant supports offer by Government, through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).  

The Government approved the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) in December 2021 to support 380 MW of new micro-generation by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan. This amounts to 60,000 homes and 9,000 non-domestic installations, such as small farms and businesses, schools and community groups etc, which would generate over 300 GWh of renewable electricity per annum, with the potential to abate 1.4 million tonnes of CO2eq over the lifetime of the installations.  

Since 2018, the SEAI has supported the installation of domestic Solar PV systems for over 12,000 homes and with demand for the domestic Solar PV grant increasing significantly throughout the year, we expect that grant applications will exceed 12,600 in 2022 alone. Since the introduction of the MSS domestic grant in early 2022 applications levels are up 250% year on year. For 2023, the SEAI is forecasting to support over 12,500 homes and over 1,000 small businesses and community organisations.  

In addition to the MSS offering grant support to domestic and non-domestic applicants for renewable installations up to 6kW, these applicants will also be eligible to avail of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff. As such, any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises of these microgenerators is now eligible for an export payment; which further supports the investment.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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175. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated cost of installing solar photovoltaic panels on all schools as announced in budget 2023; the number of panels to be installed on each school; the timeframe for this initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48609/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The programme of works in relation to installation of solar photovoltaic panels on school buildings, as announced in the Budget, are a matter for my colleague the Minster for Education.

More broadly, the public sector has a very strong track record in energy efficiency, as evidenced by achieving the ambitious 2020 target of a 33% energy efficiency improvement compared to an overall economy wide target of 20%. It is important that the Public Sector continues to lead by example in these challenging times.

Since 2017, the SEAI's Public Sector Schools Pathfinder Programme, which is co-funded with the Department of Education, has provided capital supports to improve energy efficiency and decarbonise school buildings. The programme is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger national schools’ programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008, as included in the National Development Plan. The Pathfinder programme has, to date, supported the retrofit of 41 schools across Ireland, with work on an additional 15 schools currently at various stages of progress.

My Department's contribution to the 2022 schools initiative is over €11 million, which will see 6 schools benefiting from a selection of energy efficiency works. The general principles and approach to school selection for the Programme include schools meeting Energy Monitoring and Reporting requirements, as well as demonstrating a strong and holistic commitment to energy management practices through participation in the SEAI and the Department of Education partnership initiative, Energy in Education Programme. The programme selection also seeks to enable various cross sections of school types and sizes, energy consumption profiles, different elements of construction type and different heritage/conservation requirements, where specific learnings are being targeted. Further information for schools is available on the SEAI website: www.seai.ie/community-energy/schools/save-energy-at-school/

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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177. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a community enterprise (details supplied) is eligible to apply for the newly launched new solar photovoltaic grants for businesses, public organisations and community groups; if so, the category the organisation should apply under; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48645/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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On the 22nd September I announced the extension of Government supports of up to €2,400 for the installation of solar PV panels for non-domestic buildings – aimed specifically at businesses, public organisations and community groups. The new grants are the next phase in the Government’s Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) and are administered through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The scheme provides grant funding of up to €2,400 towards the installation of solar PV technology up to a maximum of 6kWp, which is approximately 16 solar panels. This provides an opportunity for all areas of the non-domestic sector to not only reduce their electricity bills, but to visibly demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and Ireland’s broader climate action goals.

Full details and how to apply are available at www.seai.ie .

Moreover, 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. This means that the installation can pay for itself quickly – thus helping to protect businesses and organisations across the country against rising energy prices into the future.

The final phase of the Micro-generation Support Scheme will involve the introduction of a Clean Export Premium (CEP) feed-in tariff – to support electricity exported to the grid from non-domestic applicants for installation sizes greater than 6kWe up to 50kWe. The CRU (Commission for Regulation of Utilities) will consult on an implementation plan for the Clean Export Premium (CEP) tariff, which will consists of a guaranteed export tariff support for new installations that is fixed for 15 years.