Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
824. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of megawatts of solar power that have been put onto the national grid in each of the years 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the projection for 2020; the number of grid connection applications granted in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9061/20]
View answerThe Government's Climate Action Plan sets out how Ireland will achieve its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and put Ireland on a trajectory which consistent with net zero carbon emissions by 2050. A key part of the Plan is a move to 70% renewable electricity by 2030 including grid scale solar energy. The number of megawatts of solar power that have been connected to the national grid in each of the years 2015 to 2019 are set out in the following table:
|
Years |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 (provisional.) |
|
Total Photovoltaic installed capacity (MW) |
5.02 |
9.15 |
16.41 |
24.23 |
31.06 |
|
Of which installed in each year (MW) |
1.45 |
4.13 |
7.26 |
7.82 |
6.83 |
The most recent national energy projections for Solar Photovoltaic (PV) installation assumptions are informed by the EirGrid Generation Capacity Statement 2019-2028 (available at http://www.eirgridgroup.com/) which projects between 50 and 60 MW installed solar PV by the end of 2020.
Details of solar PV grid connection offers to the Transmission System (issued and accepted/contracted) are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
No. of solar offers issued |
No. of solar offers contracted |
|
2016 |
0 |
0 |
|
2017 |
2 |
1 |
|
2018 |
14 |
12 |
|
2019 |
0 |
0 |
|
2020 |
9 |
0 |
Details of solar PV grid connection offers to the Distribution System (issued and accepted/contracted) are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
No. of solar offers issued |
No. of solar offers contracted |
|
2016 |
66 |
45 |
|
2017 |
47 |
32 |
|
2018 |
33 |
14 |
|
2019 |
26 |
14 |
|
2020 (ongoing) |
40 |
4 |
The Climate Action Plan envisages up to 1.5 GW of solar PV on the grid by 2030 and solar projects are eligible to compete this year in the first competition under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme.
