Individuals, farmers, business owners, and community organisations are being invited to submit their views on a new microgeneration scheme being developed by Minister Eamon Ryan that will enable them to sell renewable electricity into the grid under a new scheme.
Speaking today following the launch of the process, Minister Noonan said, 'I am delighted that a new Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) is being designed to provide a route to market for citizens and communities. This will allow them to generate their own renewable electricity (e.g., from solar panels on their roofs) and receive a fair price when they sell the excess into the grid. I urge people to get involved at this design stage as I know there is a wealth of knowledge and passion on this within our communities across the constituency.'
The Scheme design also seeks to establish the "renewables self-consumer" model of energy generation and consumption in Ireland, to support community and citizen participation in the transition to a net-zero carbon economy, and to contribute to achieving our 2030 targets for renewable energy.
Micro-generators will primarily serve their own consumption needs but will be able to receive a payment for excess electricity exported back to the grid. The Scheme will ensure that there is equity in what supports are offered and how the cost of support is distributed. As part of the design micro-generators must have first met minimum energy efficiency requirements for their properties.
Minister Noonan welcomes the invitation to the public to take part in a consultation on how the scheme will operate. The consultation is part of a broader movement towards greater citizen involvement in energy policy, committed to in the 2020 Program for Government.
This public consultation will remain open until 17.30 on 18/02/21. All responses should be submitted to publicconsultation_mss@decc.gov.ie or in writing to MS
S Consultation, Electricity Policy Division, Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, 29-31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2, Ireland. D02X285.
