Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 January 2024
186. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the supports provided, both advisory and financial, to communities to participate in the Community Electricity Generation projects; the progress to date of those projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3707/24]
View answerThrough the first two Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auctions, my Department has provided pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects through the application of a community projects category.
Through my Department’s continued engagement with Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), there is evidence of significant challenges that REC projects may face with the auction based nature of RESS, along with other barriers to project delivery.
Therefore, support for communities for the development of renewable projects will now transition to the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) which will support community projects exporting to the grid through a tariff.
This export tariff phase of SRESS, which will support small scale and community renewable projects, is due to be launched in the coming months. It will offer a simpler route to market for community projects and will align more closely to the experience and capacity of the community energy sector.
A set of technical and financial supports for community projects are currently available to communities in a Community Enabling Framework under RESS. Similar supports will be available under SRESS.
To enable a future pipeline of community energy projects, the SEAI is undertaking a series of grid studies to support communities in identifying sites that are most likely to have an economically viable grid connection. In addition, the CRU launched a consultation on a revised electricity generation connection policy in December which considers how community projects can be better supported to connect to the electricity network.
