Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 April 2010
32 Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has plans to develop a co-ordinated strategy with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on microgeneration of electricity on farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16976/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue of micro generation of electricity is a matter in the first instance for my colleague the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The Deputy may be aware that in February 2009 Minister Ryan announced measures to encourage the on-site generation of electricity in homes and farms across Ireland. The Micro Generation Programme is being operated by ESB Customer Supply and supported by ESB Networks. Among the measures is a guaranteed price of 19 cent per kilowatt hour of electricity produced as a feed-in tariff applying to the first 4,000 micro-generation installations countrywide over three years.
The programme has the potential to provide 4,000 domestic customers, including farms, investing in micro-scale projects with a financial payment for electricity exported back to the grid. Alongside this programme, under the aegis of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland is administrating a micro-generation programme supporting a number of micro scale projects to resolve outstanding technical issues including:
Defining the requirements for qualification and certification of technologies; and
Defining necessary arrangements for qualification, certification and training of installers.
My Department is involved on an ongoing basis with the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on a wide range of environmental issues relevant to agriculture such as water quality, air quality, soils and biodiversity. It is my intention that my Department will continue to work with other Departments, Bodies and Agencies to advance the interests of the Agriculture sector.
