Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023
161. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications what assessments of the existing barriers and potential of development of renewable energy communities have been conducted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51710/23]
View answerThe Renewable Energy Directive (RED) is the legal framework for the development of clean energy across all sectors of the EU economy, supporting cooperation between EU countries towards this goal. The most recently revised RED enters into force on 23 November 2023.
Article 22(3) of the recast RED requires Member States to carry out an assessment of the existing barriers and potential of development of Renewable Energy Communities in their territories. In February 2022, I signed the Regulations that transpose Articles 21 and 22 of the recast Renewable Energy Directive, which brings these Articles into force.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)'s community enabling framework has been put in place to address some of the key challenges of developing community renewable projects.
My officials are currently focused on bringing a Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) into place. The export tariff phase of SRESS, to support small scale and community renewable projects, is due to be launched in the coming months. This scheme is being designed to align closely to the experience and capacity of the community energy sector and support a sustainable delivery pathway to the renewable energy community target of 500 MW by 2030.
In preparation for SRESS, SEAI has recently undertaken five grid studies on a county basis to support communities in identifying sites within their locality that are most likely to have an economically viable grid connection. These are helping community groups, that have ambitions of developing their own grid scale projects, to better understand which locations are more likely to be feasible for renewable community energy project development.
Grid connection generally is a major challenge for communities, which is something that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities is also examining as part of a review of its electricity generation connection policy.
Bringing the SRESS into place will help to remove existing barriers and assist with the potential of development of renewable energy communities. Once the scheme is in place, my officials will consider any further obligations around the above assessment.
