Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018
78. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the role that new hybrid powerpacks for intercity railcars as announced under the climate action fund will have in reducing climate emissions. [53199/18]
View answer84. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the role that projects announced under the climate action fund will play in supporting decarbonisation in the agricultural sector. [53201/18]
View answer94. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if another call for applications for the climate action fund will be made in the future further to the announcement of the first successful projects in late November 2018. [53198/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 78, 84 and 94 together.
On 28 November, I announced the seven successful projects from the first Call for Applications under the Climate Action Fund. The projects span a range of sectors including transport, district heating, public lighting and agriculture.
In the transport sector, up to €15m of support is provided to Irish Rail to increase efficiency in the inter-city rail fleet. The project will involve the detailed design of the new hybrid power-packs, the conversion of three existing diesel multiple units to the new configuration and, following a year long in-service trial, the hybrid power-packs will be implemented across the wider fleet.
In the Agriculture sector, Gas Networks Ireland will be supported to deliver a facility that will allow renewable gas produced from the anaerobic digestion of wastes, including agriculture wastes such as slurry, to be injected into the national gas grid. The project will also support the use of this renewable gas in the transport sector through the development of two compressed natural gas fuelling stations and grant support for 74 vehicles.
Having completed that assessment stage, the seven projects must now undergo the project validation process. The validation process will include more detailed examination of the projects, agreement of project outputs and payment timelines.
The scope, structure and timeframe of future calls for applications have not yet been determined. To assist development of future calls, my Department plans to hold a workshop with all those who applied under the first call. This workshop, which will be held early in the new year, will provide the opportunity to provide feedback to applicants and also to inform the next call.
