Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 November 2021
188. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he is satisfied that the challenges to rolling out Ireland’s renewable power capacity are being resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53624/21]
View answer190. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will ensure the maximisation of efforts to facilitate the elimination of fossil fuels from the generation of electricity thereby ensuring that no part of the economy such as the transport sector is damaged while en route to decarbonisation of the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52881/21]
View answer210. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the extent to which his Department continues to explore electricity generation from non-fossil fuels by way of wind, wave or solar; the full extent of the investment to date in each element of the sector; the degree to which he expects such investment to materialise on an annual basis over the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53900/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 190 and 210 together.
An upcoming Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff will represent the first phase of a comprehensive enabling framework for micro-and small-scale generators in Ireland, allowing them to receive remuneration from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity exported to the grid, reflective of the market value of that electricity. The Clean Export Guarantee will be available to all renewables self-consumers later this year, subject to regulatory arrangements and the transposition of Articles 21 and 22 of the recast Renewable Energy Directive. My Department is engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on transposing these Articles into Irish law, and it is expected that this will be completed before year end.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities published a consultation on a draft enabling framework on 1 October which outlined the details for the introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee payment, along with eligibility criteria and timescales for introduction. The consultation is now closed and I understand a decision is expected to be published this month and a compensation regime expected to follow shortly afterwards.
Further to a public consultation held earlier this year on a Micro-generation Support Scheme, my Department is also developing a final Micro-generation Support Scheme scheme design that incorporates the feedback from the consultation and subsequent additional analysis. It is expected that a proposal on the supports to be offered for new installations under the Micro-generation Support Scheme, which may include grants or premium tariff payments, will be submitted to Government later this year.
