Written answers

Tuesday, 8 November 2022

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Renewable Energy Generation

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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44. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 138 of 7 April 2022, the details of the RESS 1 community projects which have reached commercial operation to date; the estimated timeline for each of these community projects to be commercially operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55008/22]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is one of the flagship Government policies to help deliver on the ambition in the Climate Action Plan 2021 of up to 80% renewable electricity by 2030. The RESS supports communities in a variety of ways including through a separate category for community projects and a mandatory community benefit fund for every project supported in the scheme. The projects under development within the RESS, both developer and community, will contribute significantly towards Ireland's renewable energy targets and carbon budget commitments.

Seven community projects, comprising five solar and two wind projects, were successful in first RESS auction (RESS 1),six of which remain in RESS. The first successful energisation of a RESS-1 Community Project took place at the beginning of November 2022. This was a Community Solar Farm in Davidstown, County Wexford, which will be capable of generating up to 5 MW of clean electricity when it is fully operational.

The remaining projects are progressing through the RESS 1 delivery milestones, and are anticipated to reach commercial operation before the end of 2023 at the latest.

The auction category for community projects was retained in the second RESS auction (RESS 2). This category has been developed specifically to allow communities and citizens to participate in and benefit from RESS. There were ten successful projects in the community Category in the RESS 2 auction. RESS 2 projects are expected to achieve commercial operation by the end of 2025 at the latest.

Empowering communities to generate their own electricity will help support the acceleration towards renewable energy and tackle climate change.

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