Written answers
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Wind Energy Generation
Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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84. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of windfarms; the related installed capacity of these windfarms which have exited their support scheme contracts under the alternative energy requirement support scheme and, separately, the renewable energy feed-in tariff support scheme, in the years 2000 to 2023, in tabular form. [11609/24]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Under the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) scheme, support was provided under a 15-year power purchase agreement, with support under the last scheme beginning in 2006. Support for the last remaining AER project finished in December 2021.The table below details the total number of Wind Farm projects that were supported under AER and their total capacity, given in MW.
| Number of Wind Farms in AER | Maximum Capacity in AER, MW |
|---|---|
| 26 | 194 |
Support under the first Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) scheme began in 2008 with the maximum length of support for a project being 15 years.
Under the REFIT 2 and 3 schemes support is also provided for 15 years, with support for the last REFIT project due to cease in December 2032.
The table below details the number of wind farm projects supported under the REFIT schemes and their capacity, in MW, for every year from 2008 to 2023.
| Year | No. of Wind Farms | Installed capacity, MW |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 87 | 1196 |
| 2009 | 119 | 1639 |
| 2010 | 109 | 1513 |
| 2011 | 112 | 713 |
| 2012 | 122 | 710 |
| 2013 | 126 | 1751 |
| 2014 | 128 | 1840 |
| 2015 | 137 | 2005 |
| 2016 | 169 | 2601 |
| 2017 | 197 | 3111 |
| 2018 | 209 | 3503 |
| 2019 | 219 | 3670 |
| 2020 | 218 | 3664 |
| 2021 | 217 | 3632 |
| 2022 | 212 | 3527 |
| 2023 | 209 | 3384 |
Further information on individual projects supported by REFIT is listed on an annual basis in the Public Service Obligation (PSO) Statutory Instrument, available at the following link:
www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/ResultsTitle.html?q=Electricity+Regulation+Act+1999+(Public+Service+Obligations).
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