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Solar Energy Guidelines

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2020

Thursday, 5 March 2020

Questions (1006)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

1006. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which persons and-or not for profit organisations can sell solar energy into the national grid that is surplus to their own requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2962/20]

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Written answers

The Government's Climate Action Plan identifies how Ireland will achieve its 2030 targets for carbon emissions, and puts us on a trajectory which would be consistent with net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A key part of the Plan is a move to 70% renewable electricity by 2030.

Action 30 of the Climate Action Plan commits to the delivery of a framework for micro-generation from renewable technologies including solar photovoltaic (PV), micro-wind, micro-hydro and micro combined heat and power (CHP) with a view to commencement of a support scheme by 2021, at the latest, to ensure that renewables self-consumers can sell excess electricity they produce back to the grid, whilst ensuring principles of equity, self-consumption and energy efficiency first are incorporated.

The working group for Micro-Generation stakeholders, chaired by my Department, has been formed and a detailed work programme is underway. The main steps necessary to facilitate the feeding of excess electricity generation into the national grid are detailed in the Working Group Terms of Reference, available here .

The proposed supports mechanisms will be outlined in a public consultation in 2020 and a suitable support payment for excess electricity generated on site and exported to the grid will be available to all micro-generators by 2021.

Terms of Reference

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