The Programme for Government commits to expanding and incentivising micro-generation to help people generate renewable electricity for their own use and sell excess electricity back to the grid.
The Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff represents the first phase of a comprehensive enabling framework for micro-and small-scale generators in Ireland allowing them to receive remuneration from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity exported to the grid which reflects the market value of that electricity. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a consultation on a draft enabling framework on 1 October which outlines the details for the introduction of the CEG payment including eligibility criteria and timescales for introduction. I understand that the CRU consultation will last four weeks, with a decision expected to be published in November and a compensation regime expected to follow shortly afterwards. The CEG will represent compliance with Article 21(2)(d) of the Recast Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), which establishes an entitlement for renewables self-consumers to receive remuneration for the excess renewable electricity they export to the grid. The transposition of this and other relevant Articles of RED II and Directive (EU) 2019/944 on common rules for the internal market for electricity (IMED) will provide the legal basis for the above-mentioned enabling framework. My Department is engaging with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on transposing these Articles into Irish law. It is expected that this will be achieved before year end. Article 36(1) of RED II provides for a deadline of 30 June 2021 for the transposition of the Directive.