Alan Kelly
Ceist:414. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to provide feed-in tariffs for biogas plants to produce renewable electricity and gas in 2017. [32708/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 2 November 2016
Ceisteanna (414)
Freagraí scríofa
Both the Programme for Government and the White Paper on Energy Policy recognise that anaerobic digestion (AD) technology can utilise waste as a resource to produce renewable energy thereby contributing towards improved waste management.
Biogas, which is produced by AD, can be utilised to generate electricity and/or heat or used as a transport fuel. In addition, biomethane, produced by removing impurities from biogas, can be used as a substitute for natural gas and can be injected directly into the gas grid.
It should be noted that electricity and combined heat and power produced from AD are already supported under the REFIT3 scheme. Though the REFIT schemes are now closed, there is a commitment in the White Paper on Energy Policy to introduce a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) that will encourage the continued development of Ireland’s renewable energy portfolio in the electricity sector. In-depth economic analysis is now underway to inform the actual cost of the scheme and, while no decision has been taken on the precise renewable technologies to be supported, the cost and technical viability of AD is being examined as part of the assessment process. It is expected to have the scheme in place in 2017, subject to Government approval and State aid clearance from the European Commission.
In parallel, an assessment of the specific costs and benefits of biogas and biomethane is currently being undertaken by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland with a view to developing additional policy options for biogas and biomethane. It is expected that this work will be complete later this year. In particular, this will inform work underway in my Department on the development of a Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.