Update 30.07.18: The Department of Energy tells SelfBuild they hope to issue details of the microgeneration scheme the evening of the 31st of July.
Self-builders in ROI could see a grant scheme introduced for generating their own electricity, also known as micro-generation, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action & Environment announced today at the Renewable Energy Summit 2018 (31st January 2018).
Late last year, the Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) held a stakeholder workshop on micro-generation; the meeting notes were passed on to Selfbuild and they are available here: Facilitator’s Report – RESS Stakeholder Workshop Oct 2017
The workshop indicated that micro-generation was not a cost effective means of achieving the renewables target in electricity generation, and that it posed some issues in terms of grid connection.
“On foot of this workshop, I have asked the SEAI to conduct a behavioural and attitudes study into the likely demand for and impact of microgeneration among the public. It is my intention to open a grant aided pilot scheme this summer for solar PV microgeneration, targeted initially at self-consumption and for domestic properties,” Minister Naughten said today.
“This will be the first phase in a multi-phased implementation of supports for microgeneration in Ireland, as we explore other options toward the new [European Union’s recast Renewables] Directive and enable the renewable self-consumer,” added Naughten.
Micro-generation commonly takes the form of solar photovoltaic panels, especially now that the price of installing them has fallen significantly. However installing PV on an Irish home can only roughly provide enough electricity for about a third of an average household’s needs.
Further details will be updated in this article as they become available.
Astrid Madsen
English