The Renewable Electricity Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for renewable energy exported to the grid. The schemes operate by guaranteeing a minimum price for renewable energy generation over a 15 year period. The technologies supported include onshore wind energy, hydroelectricity, landfill gas, waste-to-energy and biomass technologies, including anaerobic digestion. Solar PV is not one of the qualifying technologies for this scheme. Further information is available on my Department's website, www.dcenr.ie. I am aware of recent reports in the media concerning the development of solar farms. The development of a solar farm requires planning permission from the local planning authority and is therefore a matter between the developer and the relevant planning authority.
The Green Paper on Energy Policy, inter alia , sought feedback on the role that alternative technologies, such as solar, could play in delivering our renewable energy ambitions. Views received will be taken into consideration in the preparation of the White Paper on Energy which will be published in September.
Given the emerging policy context and the requirements of the EU internal market for electricity, my Department will be considering the appropriateness of a new support scheme for renewable electricity, from 2016 onwards. A key component of this will be consideration of the available technologies, their cost effectiveness and the level of support required. The scheme will be subject to State Aid clearance and the initial public consultation on a new scheme will commence in the coming weeks.
