Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 September 2022
97. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will provide an update on his Department's policy on supporting the development of anaerobic digestion plans for electricity production; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44793/22]
View answerMy Department has developed a number of schemes to support production of renewable electricity in Ireland. These schemes include the grid scale, auction based Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) and the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS), for installations up to 50 kW in size (30kWe for micro-renewable Combined Heat and Power). The RESS and MSS schemes both include anaerobic digestion (AD) for electricity generation under the category 'Biogas with High Efficiency Combined Heat and Power' as an eligible technology . However, no AD projects have come through the RESS auctions to date.
The Climate Action Plan also commits to the development of a support scheme for small-scale generators (SSG) above 50kW, i.e. larger than MSS but smaller than RESS scale. This is expected to come into effect in 2023. My Department launched a public consultation on proposed elements of the SSG scheme which is open until the 29th September: https://www.gov.ie/en/consultation/353f2-consultation-on-a-small-scale-generation-support-scheme-ssg-in-ireland/.
The range of renewables to be supported under the SSG will be determined in the design phase, after taking on board views in the public consultation.
Ireland currently has 6.3% of its heat sector demand met by renewable energy. While progress is being made, significant action is needed to reduce emissions and increase the supply of renewable fuels across the heat sector. Anaerobic digestion for renewable heat is supported through the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH). The SSRH is a Government funded initiative designed to increase the energy generated from renewable sources in the heat sector whilst also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme is open to commercial, industrial, agricultural, district heating, public sector and other non-domestic heat users and is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The SSRH provides an operational support for biomass boilers and anaerobic digestion heating systems and an installation grant for renewable heating systems using heat pumps.
In line with the recent agreement on Sectoral Emissions Ceilings to deliver up to 5.7 TWh of biomethane to further accelerate the reduction of overall economy-wide emissions, an obligation on the heat sector to include renewable heat will be introduced by 2024. The introduction of this Obligation will incentivise the use of renewable heat, while spreading the obligation across all non-renewable fuel types.
