Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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25. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide a breakdown of the community renewable energy projects that have been energised and are exporting electricity to the grid; the volume of electricity these projects have exported; the number of community renewable energy projects that have begun construction, by projects that are 100% community-owned versus those that are not 100% community-owned; and his views on the progress of community renewable energy initiatives. [45428/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Through the first two RESS auctions, my Department has provided pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects through the application of a community projects category and also through the requirement of a mandatory community benefit fund for all RESS projects.

To ensure genuine community participation in the separate community category of RESS, the definition of a community-led project for the purposes of the first RESS auction included the stipulation that such projects must be at least 51% owned by a Renewable Energy Community (REC). For RESS 2, this was increased to a 100% REC ownership requirement for entry to the community category.

Seven community projects were successful in the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme 1 (RESS 1) auction, (five solar and two wind projects). Of these seven projects, three have now energised. These community projects have been enabled by the RESS scheme and have now entered into private arrangements for selling their renewable energy. Other RESS 1 community projects are also expected to energise and participate in the upcoming Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS).

Ten community projects were successful in the RESS 2 auction. Of these, eight solar projects signed implementation agreements to deliver under the RESS 2 terms and conditions and two wind projects did not take up the RESS 2 offer. Some projects may also develop through alternative routes to market, including SRESS. Due to commercial sensitivity, it would not be appropriate to comment in any more detail on these remaining RESS 1 and 2 projects.

Through my Department’s continued engagement with RECs, there is evidence of significant challenges that REC projects may face with the competitive, auction based nature of RESS, along with grid and other and other barriers to project delivery.

Support for communities for the development of renewable projects will now transition to the non-competitive Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS). The tariffs for the export project phase of SRESS were announced in May and will support small-scale and community renewable projects. SRESS will offer a simpler route to market for community (and SME) owned renewable projects, aligning more closely to their experience and capacity.

My Department is continuing to develop the detailed terms and conditions of the scheme which are expected to be finalised shortly with applications due to open before the end of the year.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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26. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of community renewable energy projects that have received funding from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; the breakdown of each project and the amount of funding it has received, in tabular form; and his views on the Government’s support for community-led renewable energy initiatives. [45429/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS) Community Enabling Framework was launched in 2022. It provides a range of supports, including grant funding of potentially up to €180,000, offered from SEAI to community renewable energy projects, to help them participate in the RESS. To date, two community projects (both under RESS 1 in 2022), including one solar and one wind, have received €40,000 each in grant funding.

My Department is working closely with the SEAI and community groups to assess the barriers to community energy projects, to ensure a long term sustainable future for the community energy sector in Ireland. In that regard, community projects will now transition to the non-competitive Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS), enabling community projects to maximise their participation in the energy transition.

The first phase of SRESS was launched in July 2023. This sees both SRESS and the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) providing support to communities, larger businesses, farms, and public buildings, with grants that support solar installations for self-consumption. These SEAI non-domestic scheme grants are supporting renewables self-consumers to invest in systems of up to 1MW in size. A total of 2,069 grants applications have been received, including, for the Community and Sports Sector, 117 grant applications amounting to funding of €994,039 and a total installation capacity of over 7.9 MW.

In May I announced the tariffs for the export tariff phase of SRESS, which will support small-scale and community renewable projects. In the largest SRESS category, communities will receive a guaranteed tariff 20% higher than the average community price in the most recent RESS auction for community projects in 2022. The export project tariff phase of SRESS, is due to open for applications by the end of the year, and will be a major step forward in supporting the community energy sector.

A set of technical and financial supports for community projects are currently available to communities through the Community Enabling Framework under the RESS. Similar supports will be available under the SRESS.

In addition, in 2023 and 2024, SEAI also undertook seven county level grid studies to support communities in identifying sites that are most likely to have an economically viable grid connection.

In September, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities published the new Electricity Connection Policy – Generation and System Services policy. The new policy provides greater opportunities for connection to the electricity network for community renewable energy projects through provisions such as the reduction in the first stage grid payment fees; the removal of upper and lower capacity limits; the size of projects not required to pay a capacity bond increasing from 5MW to 6MW; and the removal of caps on the number of projects per processing batch.