Alex White, TD, Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources
More renewable energy technologies to get support
Two public consultation documents recently published by Minister for Energy Alex White seek views on the renewable energy technologies that currently receive financial support from the State, and whether the Government should broaden the range of technologies it supports. One consultation focuses on renewable electricity technologies, while the other focuses on renewable heat systems.
The Consultation of Renewable Electricity Support says that, while wind energy will continue to make an important contribution to meeting Ireland’s renewable energy targets, it should be complemented by other technologies to meet the country’s renewable energy ambitions.
It says these could include bioenergy, solar, offshore wind, wave and tidal technologies if they are both technically feasible and cost effective. The consultation will help determine whether supports are necessary to develop these technologies.
The consultation will also explore the potential and value of providing supports to micro-generation and smaller community-based projects.
The Renewable Heat Incentive consultation document proposes a renewable heat incentive (RHI) to encourage larger industrial and commercial heat users to switch to systems that produce heat from renewable sources, including biomass. It will inform an assessment of the feasibility of various technologies deployed to produce heat from renewables and tariffs “at a level that represents the most cost-effective transition to the levels of renewable heat required.”