Dáil debates

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Electricity Generation

9:25 pm

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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61. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the actions he will take to remove the barriers blocking the growth of rooftop solar panels here, including the lack of a long-term payment system for excess electricity sold back to the grid, the roll-out of smart meters and planning issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25603/20]

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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If we are to achieve 70% renewable electricity by 2030, a key component will be ordinary people and community groups generating their own electricity and selling the excess back to the grid. Solar photovoltaics, PV, can play an important part in this but blockages in the system are preventing that becoming a reality. Can the Minister outline the steps he will take to remove these barriers and increase the amount of electricity generated from solar PV?

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The programme for Government commits to the development of microgeneration and to letting people sell excess power back to the grid by June 2021. The climate action plan that my predecessor introduced included the delivery of a framework for microgeneration, whilst ensuring principles of equity, self-consumption and energy efficiency first are incorporated. There are a range of measures in place to deliver on these commitments.

A microgeneration working group, chaired by my Department, is examining an enabling framework which tackles existing barriers and establishes suitable supports within relevant market segments. This work is an integral part of our emerging photovoltaic solar strategy.

My Department has engaged with ESB Networks on grid capacity and connection issues, and with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, on a review of the solar PV scheme in order to capture the lessons learned.

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is reviewing the planning exemptions for solar installations in consultation with my Department, and has agreed in principle to provide for exemptions to new building types, including apartments, community and educational buildings. I further understand an aviation safety mapping exercise is under way by that Department, which will inform the finalisation of the relevant regulations. It is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of this year.

My Department has also engaged external advisors to identify possible support options for microgeneration. A proposed support mechanism will be outlined in a public consultation in the coming months. A suitable support payment for excess electricity generated on site and exported to the grid will be available to all microgenerators by 2021 in line with the transposition of the recast renewable energy directive into Irish law.

The SEAI launched a pilot microgeneration scheme in July 2018 for domestic customers. To date, 3,691 applications have received grant support totalling €9 million, saving approximately 3 kt of carbon dioxide per annum.

In September 2019, ESB Networks commenced the roll-out of the smart meter programme for all domestic and business premises which is due for completion in 2024. To date, 120,000 smart meters have been installed.

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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Paying people for the excess electricity produced by their solar panels will result in their installation becoming much more appealing to many more people. At the moment, excess electricity produced by privately installed solar panels is spilling onto the grid for free. It is not fair on those who have paid thousands for them and does not make a compelling financial case for those considering investing in solar panels. One can do it in Newry or Strabane but cannot in Lifford or Dundalk. I have a sister in Belfast and her housing estate has recently begun to allow people to contribute to the grid. An important piece of work was done by Noteworthy.ie, a group related to Thejournal.ie. It read like a charge sheet. Did the Minister see the piece of research done by Noteworthy.ie? Does he have a response to it? It details, line by line, the missed opportunities and failures of Government policy in delivering on this important matter.

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I have not seen that research but I will read it if the Deputy could forward it on to me. I will happily respond to the Deputy once I have read and reviewed it. I agree with the Deputy. Roof after roof in the North has solar PV panels and it is not exactly the sunniest place on the planet. We have failed to do that in the South. During my previous term in this office, 12 years ago, we introduced a microgeneration support price scheme of 19 cent per kWh. That was at the start of the solar revolution. Unfortunately, the succeeding Government removed that scheme. In fairness to my predecessor, he introduced such a proposal in the climate action plan that he developed and we will see it introduced early next year.

I have seen it in action. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to visit the Fair Play café in Ringsend, one of the community energy projects that have just received support of €29 million. The café has installed 12 kW of solar panels. Their experience has been fantastic because it works, integrates with their business and was easy to introduce. They can see the level of power that they are using and to which customers can connect. There is considerable potential in the development of solar power.

EirGrid provided me with analysis a year or two ago when I was an Opposition spokesperson, as the Deputy is now. I asked what level of solar power could be generated on roofs.

I am going on memory, but I understand if we had 700,000 houses with solar panels on their roofs and 45,000 businesses that would provide 5% of our total power supply. That may not sound significant, but one of the attractive things about solar power is that it would be very much complementary to other renewable power supplies, such as wind and so on. It would provide a very stable local power supply source which, contrary to the original arguments against solar power, would strengthen and complement rather than undermine the grid.

We will be using a lot of power at a distributed level as we move towards electrifying the transport and heating systems. We will need every source of power and I am committed to the development of solar power not just on houses or smaller rooftops but for larger business applications where rooftop solar could be introduced and become an integral part of the overall switch to 100% renewables which is where we are going.

9:35 pm

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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In the interest of time I will commend noteworthy.ieand thejournal.ie. They have come in for some pressure in recent days which is probably not unrelated to the important work they are doing in terms of analysis, evidence, transparency and accountability. I would be happy to send the information to the Minister.

There is some concern about smart meters and the nature of the information they will collect. Has the planned roll-out of smart meters been affected by Covid-19? What assurances can the Minister give to people about the nature and type of information that they will collect and manage?

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The roll-out is starting. While everything in this country has been somewhat delayed by Covid, I do not think it has been particularly badly affected. The initial delivery comprised 250,000 meters in the latter half of last year and the start of this year. We expect 500,000 meters to be installed in each of the next four years.

The Commission for Energy Regulation, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities and the Data Protection Commissioner have strong and stringent rules around the use of any data and the purpose for which data is collected, and it must not infringe on personal privacy rights or involve the improper use of that data other than for the benefit of the householder. It is critical-----

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I went overboard earlier.