Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 June 2022
96. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his Department’s strategy towards expanding the possibility for more households to switch to sources of renewable energy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27964/22]
View answerI thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle very much. Can the Minister outline the strategy towards expanding the possibility of more households switching to renewable energy? Sufficient effort is not being made on that. Can he outline his proposals in the context of making more information available and accessible to households across the country?
We launched a microgeneration support scheme in December. The scheme is targeting support for 380 MW of installed microgeneration capacity, to contribute to the target of up to 2.5 GW of solar renewables. The microgeneration support scheme domestic solar photovoltaic grant is available from the SEAI, with grant levels up to a maximum of €2,400 available.
On 15 February, I signed the regulations that create an obligation on suppliers to offer the clean export guarantee tariff to new and existing micro and small-scale generators so that they will receive payment for excess renewable electricity they export to the grid, reflective of the market value. Some suppliers have already advertised their clean export guarantee tariff. Eligible microgenerators will start receiving tariff remuneration from 1 July next, depending on their billing cycle. Under the national energy security framework, the Government has also announced a fully funded scheme for medically vulnerable people with high electricity usage to install rooftop solar photovoltaic. That is a targeted measure there to where we help those at most risk of fuel poverty.
That is only the start of it and we need to go further into the farming and business communities with rooftop solar provision on public, industrial and on-farm buildings and the price for that will also be coming through for that.
