Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
43. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the microgeneration scheme will be opened for households to allow them to share excess energy to the national grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41737/21]
View answer45. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications when the scheme to allow microgenerators to sell up to 30% of excess electricity produced for export to the national grid will be in place; the price at which the electricity will be sold; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41899/21]
View answer50. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to bring in a feed-in tariff for homes that produce their own energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42114/21]
View answer72. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the timescale for the introduction of the new micro-generation support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42652/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 45, 50 and 72 together.
The Programme for Government commits to expanding and incentivising micro-generation to help households generate renewable electricity for their own use and to sell excess electricity back to the grid. Under the Climate Action Plan, a Micro-Generation working group, chaired by my Department, is developing an enabling framework for micro-generation which tackles existing barriers and establishes suitable supports within relevant market segments. My Department outlined proposals for a new Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) in a public consultation that closed on 18 February last. A summary report of the submissions received has been published on my Department's website. While the primary aim of a micro-generation scheme is to enable a household to meet its own electricity needs, it is intended that a suitable payment for excess electricity generated on site and exported to the grid will be available to all renewables self-consumers later this year, subject to regulatory arrangements, in line with transposition of Articles 21 and 22 of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. It is expected that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) will publish a draft framework in the coming weeks which will outline the details, including eligibility criteria and timescales for introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee payment for exported renewable electricity. This framework will outline the approach to the rate of remuneration under the CEG, as determining such matters is the responsibility of the CRU. This would give effect to the above-mentioned articles and allow for the commencement of export payments to micro- and small-scale generators, by their suppliers.
Further to the public consultation referred to above, my Department is developing a final scheme design for the MSS which incorporates feedback from the consultation and subsequent additional analysis. It is envisaged that a proposal on the supports to be offered to homeowners, farms, schools and businesses under the MSS, which may include grants or premium tariff payments for new installations, will be submitted to Government later this year.
