Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 February 2022
64. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he has carried out a cost-benefit analysis of the provision of solar energy in the State at each point of development from inception to selling onto the grid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8741/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) to support large scale and community renewable electricity generation projects was approved by Government in 2020 following detailed analysis and a public consultation. The scheme design was supported by detailed economic and policy analysis carried out by CEPA Ltd. which is available on the gov.ie website. The RESS was developed to help achieve the commitments made in the 2021 Climate Action Plan of up to 80% RES-E by 2030 and solar generation will be a cornerstone of this scheme.
The Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) represents the first phase of an enabling framework for micro- and small-scale generators to provide a remuneration from suppliers for residual electricity exported to the grid paid at a competitive market rate. There are no costs to the Exchequer or consumers for the CEG. The Government approved the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS) on 21 December 2021, targeting 380MW of new generation from renewables self-consumers to contribute to an overall target for solar PV of 2.5GW by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan. The scheme design was supported by detailed economic and policy analysis carried out by Ricardo AEA which informed a public consultation on the draft design in January 2021 and is available on the gov.ie website. Finally, my Department is developing a policy design for a small-scale generation support scheme. This will be progressed in 2022 and is expected to become available in 2023. The design of this scheme will be informed by a report on policy options, including a cost analysis for a range of archetypes of solar PV generation, which has been commissioned by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and is due later this year.
