Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 October 2016
550. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the current system and prices of microgeneration can be improved to encourage more persons to invest in renewables and the existing producers to recoup some of their investment. [29422/16]
View answerThe Renewable Electricity Feed-in-Tariff (REFIT) schemes are the principal means of supporting renewable electricity generators for renewable energy exported to the grid. These schemes support electricity generated from a range of renewable sources including small scale hydro, biomass and wind. Small scale renewable micro-generation is eligible to apply for support under the REFIT schemes.
The Energy White Paper sets out a high-level framework for Ireland's energy transition to a low carbon economy and society and identifies a range of measures and actions to support this aim. One key action is to explore the scope to provide market support for micro generation. This will be informed by an analysis which has been completed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) of the potential of technologies in the field of small-scale wind, solar, micro-CHP and small-scale hydro.
While I have no statutory function in the regulation of the electricity market, I am aware that from February 2009 Electric Ireland offered a feed-in tariff on a commercial basis to domestic micro-generators but which was subsequently closed to new entrants from the end of 2014. More recently, Electric Ireland extended the tariff to their existing customers from the end of 2015 until the end of 2016. To date, no other electricity supplier has chosen to provide such a tariff, to either domestic or commercial customers, although they have been invited to do so by the Commission for Energy Regulation.
My Department is currently undertaking in-depth economic analysis to inform the cost of a new support scheme and the design of the support tariff - whether in the form of a grant payment or feed-in tariff. While no decision has been taken on the precise renewable technologies to be supported, the cost and technical viability of a range of renewable technologies are being examined as part of the assessment process. A further public consultation will be advertised on the Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie. It is expected that the new scheme will become available in 2017 subject to Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission.
