Written Answers Nos. 166-192
168. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the biomass strategy, if any, the Government has as part of its effort to achieve net-zero; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38879/23]
View answerI have no function in relation to this matter. The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine has responsibility for the development of policies and measures related to biomass development.
169. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the plans to implement district heating across the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38880/23]
View answerDistrict heating is a proven technology internationally that can: help decarbonise the built environment; diversify fuel sources for heat; maximise waste heat from a variety of sources; and, improve energy security and affordability. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s National Heat Study 2022 found that up to 54% of heat demand in Ireland could be provided by district heating from renewable heat.
Ireland’s first large scale district heating network in Tallaght was opened in April this year. Using waste heat from a data centre, that project is now providing low-carbon heat to South Dublin County Council public buildings and the Technological University Dublin, with further plans to provide heat to affordable apartments. My Department is also aware of plans in other areas to develop district heating schemes.
To facilitate delivery of district heating projects, and in order to meet the Climate Action Plan 2023 target to deliver up to 2.7TWh of district heating by 2030, a District Heating Steering Group was established to coordinate the development of district heating policy. The Steering Group Report, which sets out an achievable pathway for expansion of district heating, was approved by Government in July and subsequently published. gov.ie - District Heating Steering Group (www.gov.ie).
In publishing this Report, Government recognises the contribution that district heating can make to Ireland’s energy and climate goals and my Department, working with SEAI, local authorities and other stakeholders, is working to implement the recommendations contained in the Report.
170. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he would consider the replacement of a single-glaze window for stand-alone grant aid in the case of stone houses, for which wall insulation is not feasible; and if he would request the SEAI to model the costs and benefits of such work in those houses in terms of fossil fuel use and carbon emissions. [38918/23]
View answerReplacement of windows in protected or traditional buildings is a complex issue. Alterations to, or the removal of, historic windows within protected structures or buildings in architectural conservation areas will require planning permission.
There are many options available to improve the thermal performance of existing windows including repairs, draught-proofing, secondary glazing and the use of shutters and curtains. Such measures can be used, singly or in combination, to reduce heat loss and increase thermal comfort. Secondary glazing, or secondary windows can also allow for the retention of historic single-glazed windows while considerably improving their thermal performance.
Window repair, even if extensive, should not trigger a requirement under Building Regulations to meet modern standards of energy efficiency, whereas window replacement does. Any new window installed should meet the performance standard specified in Technical Guidance Document (TGD) L. New windows, doors and roof lights should generally have a maximum U-value of 1.4 W/m2K. The NSAI Window Energy Performance Scheme (WEPS) provides a rating for new replacement windows combining heat loss and solar transmittance. Further information on these matters is provided in TGD L.
To support the appropriate upgrade of traditional buildings a new guidance document – ‘Improving Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings’ is being developed by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and will be published later this year. My Department and the SEAI are participating in the steering group overseeing the project. Once available this guidance will be an important resource to support specifiers and contractors in the appropriate energy efficiency upgrading of older, traditionally-built buildings while ensuring compliance with the appropriate building regulations. These guidelines in conjunction with appropriate impact assessment/modelling will also help to inform future grant supports for homeowners.
Where the building in question is not subject to statutory protection (and so long as the proposed works would not materially affect the external appearance of the structure so as to make the appearance inconsistent with the character of the structure or neighbouring structures) there is no legal impediment to the building owner replacing the windows with windows of a higher thermal performance in order to reduce energy loss or as part of a package of building renovation to achieve a specified BER rating. Replacement in such cases should however ensure the design and the materials of the replacements are appropriate. In these situations, windows may be replaced with new double or triple-glazed timber frame units that are compatible with the traditional building. Guidance on this will also be included in the ‘Improving Energy Efficiency in Traditional Buildings’ document.
171. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how it makes sense financially and environmentally for Edenderry power station to be used on a 24-7 basis, consuming a large amount of diesel in the process (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38934/23]
View answerThe financial operation of power stations is a matter for individual generation companies.
However, I am informed by EirGrid the Transmission System Operator (TSO) that there are three generation units in the Edenderry area, designated by EirGrid, who operate the National grid, as Edenderry units 1, 3 & 5. Units 3 & 5 are peaking plants that only run occasionally to meet peak demand on days when there is insufficient alternative generation available. For example, in June 2023 these units were only utilised one day in the entire month when the system was particularly tight. These two units are currently fueled by Distillate Oil but are expected to switch operation to natural gas from October 2025 to continue to complement a highly renewable powered grid.
Edenderry unit 1 is currently fuelled by a mixture of peat and biomass but will cease to use peat and be run exclusively on biomass from the start of 2024. Sustainably produced biomass can play a key role in Ireland’s transition from a fossil-fuel based economy to a low-carbon economy. Unit 1 does currently run regularly to provide baseload electricity to the national grid.
Edenderry's unit 1 move from peat to biomass provides dispatchable renewable electricity generation helping to ensure a secure supply of electricity for homes and businesses in a sustainable manner.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) currently has a programme of actions underway to ensure the security of our electricity supply over the coming winters. The Deputy may wish to note that CRU provides a dedicated email address for Oireachtas members, which enables them to raise questions to CRU at oireachtas@cru.ie for timely direct reply.
172. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if public servants of semi-State or commercial semi-State companies, and other hybrid public service organisations under the aegis of his Department, such as An Post, are entitled to work until they are 70 years of age and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38939/23]
View answerOperational matters relating to staff in the bodies under the aegis of my Department are a matter for the Boards and management of the particular organisations and not one in which I, as Minister, have a role.
173. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the amount carried over by his Department's allocation in each of the years 2020 to 2022, inclusive, in tabular form. [38950/23]
View answerThe amounts per year of deferred surrender of unspent budget allocations for capital supply services for my Department, in each of the years 2020 to 2022 is set out in the table below.
Details of deferred surrender is published annually in the Revised Estimates Volume on the gov.ie website.
|
Year of Deferred Surrender |
Subhead |
Deferred Surrender by Subhead €m |
Total Deferred Surrender by Year €m |
|
2020 |
Admin III - ICT Programmes |
15,247 |
37,747 |
|
2020 |
B.4 - Sustainable Energy Programmes |
22,500 |
|
|
2021 |
B.4 - Sustainable Energy Programmes |
57,917 |
57,917 |
|
2022 |
n/a |
0 |
0 |
174. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the circumstances which led to the deregistration of an SEAI contractor (details supplied) will be re-examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38959/23]
View answerThe administration and management of Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) schemes including the registration of contractors is an operational matter for the SEAI. As such, the Deputy's question has been forwarded to the SEAI for direct reply.
The SEAI has established a specific email address for queries from Oireachtas members so that such queries can be addressed promptly, in line with SEAI’s objective to deliver services to the highest standards. The email address is oireachtas@seai.ie.
175. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in the specified period 1 July to 31 December 2023 if the cap on market revenues were applied for that timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38960/23]
View answer176. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the cap on market revenues were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38962/23]
View answer177. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in the specified period 1 July to 31 December 2023 if the cap on market revenues were applied for that timeframe and capped at €100 per megawatt hour for electricity produced for the fuel sources of wind and solar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38964/23]
View answer178. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the cap on market revenues were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024 and capped at €100 per megawatt hour for electricity produced for the fuel sources of wind and solar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38966/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 175 to 178, inclusive, together.
The Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector)(Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023 will implement part of Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices, in particular that which requires a cap on market revenues of specific electricity generators.
The Council Regulation states that theses measures be “urgent, temporary and exceptional" and therefore the cap on market revenues will operate during the period 1 Dec 2022 until 30 June 2023 only. The Regulation does not provide for the cap to extend to periods after this period and projections of potential proceeds for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2024 were not estimated.
In appraising the policy options via a structured multi-criteria-analysis, a €120/MWh cap on wind and solar was deemed appropriate to capture the windfall gains whilst maintaining positive investment signals. The application of a cap below this rate may risk Ireland’s success in securing the investment required in renewable projects to meet our climate targets.
179. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the temporary solidarity contribution were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38971/23]
View answer180. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the temporary solidarity contribution at a rate of 80% were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38974/23]
View answer181. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the temporary solidarity contribution at a rate of 85% were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38976/23]
View answer182. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the temporary solidarity contribution at a rate of 90% were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38979/23]
View answer183. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the temporary solidarity contribution at a rate of 95% were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38981/23]
View answer184. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue that would be generated in 2024 if the temporary solidarity contribution at a rate of 100% were applied from 1 January to 31 December 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38983/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 179 to 184, inclusive, together.
On 17th July 2023, the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Act 2023 passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas and was signed into law by the President.
The Act introduces a temporary solidarity contribution to fossil fuel companies on earned unexpected surplus profits (“windfall gains”) for the years 2022 and 2023 as a result of the Ukraine war. Through the Act, taxable profits which are more than 20% above the baseline period from 2018 to 2021 will be subject to the temporary solidarity contribution at a rate of 75%.
In accordance with Article 18 of Council Regulation 2022/1854, the temporary solidarity contribution is a temporary measure and is only to apply to fiscal years 2022 and 2023 and there is no legal basis for it to be continued to 2024.
In addition, a significant component of the model used to estimate revenue from the temporary solidarity contribution is taxable profits for the relevant year. As the 2024 taxable profits will not be known until the companies publish their 2024 Financial Accounts during 2025, my Department are not in a position to currently provide an estimate of the potential revenue that would be raised from a continuation of the temporary solidarity contribution into 2024.
185. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue generated by temporary solidarity contributions in 2023 if the temporary solidarity contribution set at a rate of 100% was applied from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023. [39019/23]
View answer186. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue generated by the temporary solidarity contribution in 2023 if the temporary solidarity contribution set at a rate of 95% was applied from 1 January 2022 to December 2023. [39020/23]
View answer187. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue generated by temporary solidarity contributions in 2023 if the temporary solidarity contribution set at a rate of 90% was applied from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023. [39021/23]
View answer188. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue generated by temporary solidarity contributions in 2023 if the temporary solidarity set at a rate of 85% was applied from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023. [39022/23]
View answer189. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated revenue generated by temporary solidarity contribution in 2023 if the temporary solidarity contribution set at a rate of 80% was applied from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023. [39023/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 189, inclusive, together.
On 17th July 2023, the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Act 2023 passed through the Houses of the Oireachtas and was signed into law by the President.
In accordance with Council Regulation 2022/1854, the Act introduces a temporary solidarity contribution to fossil fuel companies on earned unexpected surplus profits (“windfall gains”) for the years 2022 and 2023 as a result of the Ukraine war. Through the Act, taxable profits which are more than 20% above the baseline period from 2018 to 2021 will be subject to the temporary solidarity contribution at a rate of 75%.
A rate of 75% is considered appropriate and is one of the highest in Europe (e.g. Slovakia 70%, Romania 60%, Czechia (60% for 2023)). Other countries have implemented the minimum rate of 33% in the Council Regulation. As the rate of 75% is contained within commenced legislation, any subsequent efforts to amend this legislation would likely carry significant risks to Ireland’s reputation and credibility.
190. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the estimated cost in 2024 if the capital budget allocation for the non-domestic microgeneration scheme were doubled. [39099/23]
View answerThe Non-Domestic Microgen grant, as part of the wider Microgeneration Support Scheme, commenced in September 2022. The grant is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and provides financial assistance to help businesses and other organisations to install solar PV panels to generate electricity on site.
The initial non-domestic scheme enabled applicants such as businesses, farms, schools, and community buildings to apply for a grant for installations up to 6kW, at the same grant amounts as domestic customers, that is, up to a maximum of €2,400. An extended funding range from €2,700 to €162,600 was introduced in July 2023 to support non-domestic installation sizes between 7 kWp and 1,000 kWp (1 MW) capacity, on a pilot basis to the end of 2023.
The initial capital budget profile for the scheme for 2023, based on figures provided by the SEAI on the expected level of grant support, was €2 million. The introduction of enhanced supports are estimated to cost up to €15 million to cover the remainder of 2023. However, this is ultimately a demand-led scheme and actual grant payment figures are dependent on the performance and operations of the scheme. The annual cost of the expanded supports if continued, at the same estimated uptake level, would be approximately €30 million. Doubling the budget allocation for this scheme in 2024 would therefore cost €60 million.
191. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications how many GMO products use licensed premises in the State; the location of each; the class of licence use issued to each; the licensing process, including if this process includes a site inspection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39177/23]
View answerIn Ireland, the contained use of GMOs is predominantly carried out in laboratories, colleges, universities, hospitals and by industry. The process for the authorisation of the contained use of GMOs by the Environmental Protection Agency is available to download: www.epa.ie/publications/licensing--permitting/genetically-modified-organisms/gmo-and-gmm-flowchart-and-timeframes.php
My Department does not hold the detailed information sought on operational matters. Accordingly, such queries should be directed to the Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.ie/who-we-are/contact-us/
