Written Answers Nos. 261-280
261. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the steps being taken to assist households that are in arrears with their electricity bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30390/26]
View answerRegulation of retail energy markets is solely a matter for the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) since the enactment of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 and subsequent legislation. However, officials from my Department correspond with the CRU on an ongoing basis to track developments in retail and wholesale energy markets, including arrears levels, among other indicators.
Government is deeply aware and concerned about the pressures placed on households and businesses by high energy costs. That is why, on 12 April, the Government agreed a €500 million package of fuel supports. This was in addition to the initial €250 million in targeted supports announced in March, which was already among the largest (per capita) intervention of any EU Member State. These packages were announced following significant recent engagement with industry representatives.
The initiatives were also in addition to the range of measures in Budget 2026 aimed at helping households with energy costs which included:
• an extension of the 9% VAT rate currently applied to gas and electricity, saving households up to €100 per year;
• enhanced social protection payments, including an increase to the Fuel Allowance rate to €38 per week and an expansion in the eligibility rules; and
• a record allocation of €640 million for the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland retrofit schemes.
It is important to note that the Department of Social Protection can also provide support through the Additional Needs Payment to help households meet expenses, including those who face difficulties with fuel bills.
A range of protections are in place for customers experiencing difficulties in paying their bills. Anyone who is struggling with their bill is strongly encouraged to engage with their supplier. Suppliers will not disconnect customers who engage with them.
As Minister, I have engaged with the four biggest energy retailers in recent months to ensure that hardship funds and focused measures are in place for any customers who find themselves in difficulty. I have also recently written to retail electricity and gas suppliers, as well as fuel suppliers, to emphasise the importance of reducing the exposure for Irish consumers from the price shocks that global uncertainty can create.
A cross-Government National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) was established last June to identify and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households and businesses. The first report of NEAT, published last November, helped to inform key aspects of Budget 2026. The NEAT is now preparing an Energy Affordability Action Plan that will be completed in Q3 of this year.
262. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in view of recent increase in energy costs if it is proposed to make amendments to the recent home energy upgrade grant schemes announced by the SEAI in January 2026; if so, the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31182/26]
View answer303. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he plans to review SEAI grant levels for solar PV and other energy upgrades given the increase in costs and the urgency of requirement of renewables; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30641/26]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), to support homeowners in improving the energy efficiency of their dwellings. These include SEAI part-funded schemes which offer grants for individuals who can afford to contribute to the cost of upgrades, such as the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) which provides supports to domestic applicants, in the form of grants for solar PV installations up to a maximum of €1,800, as well as fully-funded energy upgrades for people at risk of energy poverty through the Warmer Homes Scheme.
Since the introduction of the MSS domestic grant in 2022, the scheme has gone from strength to strength. 10,000 homes received support in 2022, followed by 22,214 in 2023 and 28,000 in 2024. Last year, over 33,000 installations were supported, with over 7,000 homes supported so far in 2026 and applications of over 10,000, a 60% increase year on year. This high level of demand and delivery indicates that the scheme is working well and that citizens recognise the significant benefits of investing in solar PV.
Following Government approval earlier this year, I have published a National Residential Retrofit Plan including an enhanced set of measures to increase the delivery of home energy upgrades.
The National Residential Retrofit Plan 2026 will continue to make home energy upgrades more accessible and affordable, making it easier for homeowners to undertake deep retrofits on a phased basis as suits their budgets. The measures announced include new and enhanced attic and cavity wall insulation grants, an enhanced heat pump system grant, as well as grants for windows and doors. The new recently announced Heat Pump System Grant will reduce the costs associated with a whole house heating system upgrade. The new maximum grant of €12,500 encompasses the existing maximum of €6,500 for the heat pump, €2,000 for upgrading radiators and pipework, and a new renewable heating bonus of €4,000.
My Department and the SEAI will continue to ensure that grant schemes terms and conditions, eligibility criteria and rates are kept under review taking account of demand, research, innovation, evolving technology and other relevant factors.
The National Energy Affordability Taskforce, was formed to identify, assess and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households. The Taskforce is now leading the response to the energy shock, and the immediate associated energy affordability challenge. This work includes examining how to support increased uptake of home energy efficiency upgrades and continued development of the SEAI retrofit schemes in line with commitments in the Programme for Government.
263. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his views on proposals concerning pension increases for retired and deferred members of Eirgrid; if he has received proposals from Eirgrid for approval in relation to same; the timeline for consideration and approval of Eirgrid's proposal; his views on the need for indexation of such pensions; and his further views on the position for deferred members whose pension entitlements remain frozen due to their inability to benefit from salary adjustments, unlike those who remain in service. [29562/26]
View answer287. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the current position regarding pension increases for retired and deferred members of EirGrid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30197/26]
View answer302. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will consider proposals (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30640/26]
View answer312. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when he will respond to EirGrid's proposal to implement pension increases that will include retired and deferred members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30953/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 263, 287, 302 and 312 together.
EirGrid is a commercial State body under the aegis of my Department. Any proposed increases to its Defined Benefit Pension Fund require approval from myself and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (MPER).
My Department received three requests to apply increases to payments under the EirGrid Defined Benefit Pension Fund, relating to the years 2023, 2024 and 2025. The first request received in November 2023 (for 2023) has now been approved.
The remaining two requests, received in 2025, in relation to proposed increases for retired and deferred pensioners applicable in 2024 and 2025 are currently being progressed and are the subject of pending legal advice. Once received, submissions relating to these requests will be prioritised by my officials for my consideration.
There has been significant engagement with EirGrid over the last two years in relation to all three proposed increase requests and I can understand the concern of EirGrid’s pensioners while awaiting the outcome of deliberations. It is important, however, that my officials ensure that all governance and legal procedures are robust, prior to approval of the current requests and any future requests.
264. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether representatives of an organisation (details supplied) have engaged with his Department regarding the Barryroe gas and oil field; whether any meetings have taken place or are planned; and his views on the matter, particularly in light of independent analysis indicating the field could replace, on a cumulative basis to 2050, up to 45% of Ireland's gas imports and 25% of crude oil imports. [29584/26]
View answer265. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has received analysis suggesting that gas produced from the Barryroe field could have up to 70% lower production emissions than imported gas and oil up to 12% lower production emissions than imported oil; and whether such analysis has been considered as part of Government discussions on energy security and climate policy. [29585/26]
View answer266. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether, in the context of ongoing energy security concerns, his Department has been contacted by an organisation (details supplied); and the response, if any, provided. [29586/26]
View answer267. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether the Government has considered proposals whereby revenues from domestic transition-fuel projects (details supplied) could contribute to funding renewable energy infrastructure. [29587/26]
View answer274. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has been contacted by an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the Barryroe gas and oil field; whether meetings have taken place or are planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29609/26]
View answer275. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has received or considered analysis indicating that the Barryroe field could contribute between €300 million and €3.6 billion in direct tax receipts to the Exchequer; whether such potential impacts form part of policy consideration in relation to domestic energy resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29610/26]
View answer276. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether analysis indicating that domestically produced gas from Barryroe could result in significantly lower production emissions, up to 70% lower than imported gas has been assessed by his Department in the context of Ireland's climate objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29611/26]
View answer277. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has engaged with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the potential role of domestic transition fuels as a temporary support to Ireland's renewable energy rollout, including proposals linking such projects to the delivery of offshore wind and solar capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29612/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 264, 265, 266, 267, 274, 275, 276 and 277 together.
My Department has engaged with representatives of the company in question.
As outlined in the 2022 Policy Statement on Petroleum Exploration and Production, my Department no longer accepts new applications for petroleum authorisations for the exploration and extraction licences of natural gas or oil. This commitment was made effective immediately upon the previous Government taking office in June 2020, and the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 placed this commitment on a statutory basis.
Holders of existing authorisations are not affected by these changes and may apply to progress their authorisations through the usual licensing stages. Pursuant to the provisions of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, no new petroleum authorisations can be granted over the “Barryroe” structure, as there is no existing petroleum authorisation in place.
268. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he is aware that eligibility for the recently introduced standalone grants for windows and doors requires homes to have wall insulation at a "good" standard, as defined by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; whether he has received feedback that cavity wall insulation is often not readily available as a standalone upgrade from SEAI-registered contractors and is instead delivered primarily as part of larger, bundled retrofit projects; the steps, if any, being taken to ensure that this requirement does not act as a barrier to homeowners seeking to access these grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29589/26]
View answer270. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he is aware that eligibility for the standalone grants for windows and doors requires homes to have wall insulation at a "good" or "very good" standard, as defined by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; whether he is aware that a cohort of homes are not suitable for cavity wall insulation due to construction type, leaving external wall insulation as the primary option at significantly higher cost, thereby creating a significant financial barrier to accessing what is intended as a standalone grant; the supports available in such cases; whether consideration has been given to introducing flexibility within the grant criteria for such homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29592/26]
View answer313. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the amount that has been allocated to the SEAI for 2026; the percentage and amount of the increase over the 2025 figure; the number of retrofits, for which funding has been provided for in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30976/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 270 and 313 together.
The National Residential Retrofit Plan, containing new and enhanced measures, announced in January 2026 has made retrofitting supports more accessible to households, allowing homeowners undertake works to their homes on a staggered basis by accessing a range of individual measure grants previously only available through a One Stop Shop deep retrofit.
Recognising that costs have risen since 2022, grant levels for cavity wall and attic insulation have been increased. These are highly cost-effective upgrade measures deployed rapidly and at scale as an enduring response to the challenge of higher energy prices. The grants are available across all part-funded schemes but are particularly focused towards applicants to the Better Energy Homes (BEH) Scheme and homeowners who prefer to install energy efficiency upgrades in a step-wise approach rather than a deep retrofit all at one time.
For the first time, homeowners can access a windows and doors grant as an individual measure where the building fabric will meet, or already meets, a specified minimum performance standard. Many homes will already meet this standard. A post-works BER is required after new windows and doors are installed, and this may be grant aided. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has more information on its website at:
www.seai.ie/sites/default/files/publications/SEAI-Upgrading-Windows-and-Doors-Leaflet.pdf.
Eligibility for wall insulation measure grant has also been expanded. Homeowners who have previously received a grant for wall insulation may now apply for a second wall insulation measure, subject to the relevant terms and conditions. This option is designed to help homeowners upgrade from cavity wall or internal wall insulation to achieve a higher level of energy efficiency and make their home heat pump ready.
To help with the affordability of external insulation, fixed grant rates of between €3,000 and €8,000 are available through the SEAI. Internal insulation may present a more affordable option and grants of between €1,500 and €4,500 can be applied for. In addition, homeowners may have the option of paying the cost of their upgrade "net of grant". The SEAI also continues to work to improve transparency in pricing and has on its website guidance on individual energy upgrades costs and grants, including for wall insulation measures at:
www.seai.ie/sites/default/files/publications/Median-costs-of-individual-energy-upgrades.pdf.
Recognising that traditional buildings require special consideration, homeowners carrying out wall and other insulation works can apply for grant support via the Traditional Homes Pilot scheme:
www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/one-stopshop/traditional-homes.
In addition, the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme is helping homeowners invest in energy upgrades where homeowners can borrow from €5,000 to €75,000 on an unsecured basis for a term of up to 10 years at significantly lower interest rates than those available in the market.
In Budget 2026, the Government provided a record allocation of €640 million to target 73,000 home energy upgrades, a 12.7% increase in Exchequer funding on 2025 and up on the 58,000 home energy upgrades delivered last year. Latest data from the SEAI shows 29,000 applications in Q1 2026, an almost doubling of applications year-on-year. Particularly noteworthy are the increases under the BEH individual upgrades scheme: over 7,000 applications for window and door upgrades (new grants); over 2,350 applications for cavity wall insulation; and 750 applications for external wall insulation - up 29% and 43% respectively year on year.
My Department and the SEAI will continue to ensure that grant schemes terms and conditions, eligibility criteria and rates are kept under review taking account of demand, research, innovation, evolving technology and other relevant factors.
269. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the progress made to date on the commitment in the Programme for Government to support group retrofitting projects, enabling neighbours to upgrade their homes together with guided support to make the process easier and more economical and to develop innovative financing solutions; whether any pilot schemes or supports have been introduced in this area; if, in light of ongoing energy cost pressures, he plans to expand or accelerate such measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29590/26]
View answerMy Department funds a number of grant schemes administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to support homeowners, businesses and communities improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, and to promote the adoption of renewable energy systems. These schemes include grants for the fabric upgrade of buildings (e.g. insulation) as well as solar PV and heat pump installations.
Following Government approval, the National Residential Retrofit Plan (NRRP) was published in January with an enhanced set of measures to increase the delivery of home energy upgrades.
The NRRP will continue to make home energy upgrades more accessible and affordable making it easier for homeowners to undertake deep retrofits on a phased basis as suits their budgets. The new measures announced include new and enhanced attic and cavity wall insulation grants, an enhanced heat pump system grant, as well as grants for windows and doors.
The Community Energy Grant (CEG) Scheme supports new approaches to achieving high quality improvements in energy efficiency within Irish communities. Communities do this by bringing together groups of buildings under the same retrofit programme, to facilitate community-wide energy improvements more efficiently and cost effectively than might otherwise be possible.
The CEG Scheme is refocused on the delivery of homes and since 2024 the scheme supports new domestic strands, including a pilot scheme to support the energy upgrade of Multi Unit Development (MUD) homes. The MUD pilot is open to Approved Housing Bodies, private investors and owner management organisations.
Also in 2024, the CEG Scheme commenced an initiative to examine area-based retrofits, aimed at upgrading homes in an integrated way in a specific geographical area. The area-based pilot continues to be progressed by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) by gathering data on technical aspects, materials, products, and installation costs.
These projects encourage CEG Scheme project co-ordinators, Local Authorities and Local Energy Agencies to collaborate to target mixed ownership Local Authority estates to harness local interest and participation. They aim to:
• encourage homeowners, regardless of requirements or means, to get a retrofit, with the objective of leaving no home behind;
• provide local guidance and support to undertake projects and throughout their implementation;
• give homeowners the confidence to act – the neighbourhood effect;
• provide project management within the community;
• deliver economies of scale in terms of pricing from an integrated project; and
• remove the administrative burden allowing for ease of access to grants.
The National Energy Affordability Taskforce was formed to identify, assess and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households. The Taskforce is now leading the response to the energy shock, and the immediate associated energy affordability challenge, as well as preparing an Energy Affordability Action Plan. This work includes examining how to support increased uptake of home energy efficiency upgrades and the continued development of the SEAI retrofit schemes, in line with commitments in the Programme for Government.
271. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide an updated timeline on the hosting of a public event on the Social Climate Plan; whether his Department is considering publishing a summary of the submissions received on the Plan; the timeline for publication of the plan; whether in light of ongoing energy price pressures, if consideration is being given to fast-tracking the development and submission of the plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29593/26]
View answerMy Department is continuing to prepare Ireland's Social Climate Plan in close consultation with the European Commission and relevant Departmental stakeholders.
In line with the requirements of the Regulation, a public event on the draft Plan, co-hosted by my Department and the European Commission, will be held later this year. At this event, information will be shared on the contents of the draft Plan as well as detail on how the consultation process completed last year fed into the design of the draft. This draft will include a summary of submissions received on the Plan. Following the event, a final draft Plan will be submitted to Government for approval. It will then be submitted to the European Commission for final approval.
To facilitate this level of engagement, the Plan will be submitted to the Commission, for approval, in the second half of this year. The Plan will begin operation in 2027 after it has been submitted and approved by the European Commission.
272. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide an update on the progress to date by the National Energy Affordability Taskforce on their preparation of the Energy Affordability Action Plan due for completion in Q3; whether any interim findings or measures have been identified; the timeline for publication of the Action Plan upon completion; and whether, in light of cost pressures on households and businesses, consideration is being given to fast-tracking the work of the Taskforce or bringing forward elements of the Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29594/26]
View answerIn June 2025, my Department established the National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses while delivering key renewables commitments, and protecting security of supply and economic stability.
The First Report of the Taskforce, which included measures for consideration in Budget 2026, was published last November. The report is available on gov.ie. The Taskforce has now turned to the preparation of an Energy Affordability Action Plan to be completed in Q3. The Action Plan will include a review of cost drivers within the energy sector and consideration of how the EU Action Plan for Affordable Energy and associated guidance can be implemented in an Irish context. This will include examining how targeted schemes can best assist households in energy poverty and consider supports for households struggling to meet their energy costs. Work on the development of the Action Plan is progressing at pace.
In response to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, I chaired a meeting of the NEAT on 19 March 2026. Discussions covered the macro implications of the conflict for global energy markets; current supply and pricing conditions across oil, gas and electricity in Ireland; customer support measures in place; and the European response to the crisis. A subsequent meeting of the Taskforce was held on 26 March, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. The Taskforce is set to meet again on the 7 May, and my Department and the Taskforce continues to actively monitor the current geopolitical situation and the impact on energy markets.
A number of NEAT subgroup meetings will be taking place this week and in the weeks ahead. Officials from my Department and the NEAT secretariat also met earlier this week with representatives from the Community and Voluntary Pillar and the Environmental Pillar.
273. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the progress made on the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish national renewable energy clusters to be co-located with training and education centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29595/26]
View answerThe Programme for Government 2025 commits to a strategic shift toward renewable energy clusters, primarily through the development of Green Energy Parks. These clusters aim to co-locate high-demand energy users with indigenous renewable energy supplies to improve grid efficiency, support decarbonisation, and support economic development.
This concept of industrial parks primarily powered by green energy was originally set out in ‘Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy’, published by Government in March 2023. A key pillar of Government’s Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP), published in January this year, will be to provide a framework for the establishment of Green Energy Parks in which to co-locate the most energy-intensive large energy user sectors with the supply of renewables and other enabling technologies that will support economic development across the economy in the coming decades. The LEAP approach was further informed by an independent report commissioned by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) 'An Economic Assessment of Green Energy Park Concepts', which was published alongside LEAP in January 2026, and is available on the DETE website at: enterprise.gov.ie/en/publications/leap.html.
The establishment of Green Energy Parks will be informed by cross-Government collaboration and the preparation a forthcoming National Planning Statement, and other government and regulatory policies, as appropriate.
In addition to the initiatives under LEAP, under the aegis of the? Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce, work is underway on developing a supporting policy framework for Ireland’s electricity supply, one that will deliver a regional balance and distribution of renewable technologies, including solar PV and onshore wind, and enable Ireland’s electricity supply to keep pace with economic growth, protecting Irish homes and businesses from volatile fossil fuel prices through the deployment of indigenous wind and solar energy across our regions.
As part of this approach, Regional Renewable Electricity Capacity Allocations for solar and onshore wind were included in the First Revision of the National Planning Framework, published in April 2025. The inclusion of these allocations is a critical step towards achieving Ireland’s national renewable electricity targets and will support a plan-led approach to the strategic planning of renewable technologies, delivering a fair regional balance and distribution of the associated infrastructure.
278. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will join with Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain to seek a windfall tax on inflated profits of energy companies, similar to 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29618/26]
View answerWhile EU Member States can take measures on the taxation of energy companies’ extraordinary profits arising from the Middle East crisis, plans for an EU-wide windfall tax are not being considered by the European Commission within the scope of AccelerateEU. AccelerateEU is the suite of proposed measures to address the energy affordability crisis.
However, Ireland would engage constructively on the development of proposals from the European Commission on a potential EU-wide windfall tax if one was published.
Ireland's preference would be for an EU wide obligation, not on a case-by-case basis. A “Member State-by-Member State” approach would risk fragmenting or unbalancing the level playing field for the single market for electricity. Tackling the energy crisis in a coordinated way between EU Members is preferable given the interconnectedness of EU energy markets.
If this policy area were to be developed by the European Commission, Ireland would encourage significant engagement with Member States, along with sector-specific engagement, to ensure any measures proposed were effective and fit for purpose.
Care needs to be taken to ensure that any new measures do not increase uncertainty in the energy sector at this challenging time. In addition, we do not wish to have any negative unintended consequences on actions to address supply issues and discourage further energy investment.
279. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on short to medium term measures that the Government will take to secure Ireland's energy supply and increase emergency rollout of renewable energy generation capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29619/26]
View answerThe 'Energy Security in Ireland to 2030' strategy set out a clear vision to move away from reliance on imported fossil fuels to an electricity-led energy system.
On the electricity grid, increasing amounts of batteries, long duration storage, interconnector capacity and demand side response have been procured in recent capacity market auctions which will lessen Ireland's dependence on fossil fuel imports in the coming years.
The variable nature of some renewable technologies currently requires dispatchable gas generation to ensure security of supply. Government has set a target of 5.7 TWh of indigenous biomethane by 2030, to be delivered through the National Biomethane Strategy. In addition, the SEAI’s Decarbonised Electricity System Study will help define the role that renewable hydrogen should play in our power system.
The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is Ireland's flagship support scheme for grid-scale renewable electricity generators. 5 RESS auctions have been held to date, RESS 6 to take place later this year. 8 GW of renewable electricity generation capacity connected to the network (5 GW added in just ten years).
Regional Renewable Electricity Capacity Allocations for onshore wind and solar were included in the 2025 First Revision of the National Planning Framework. This is a critical step towards achieving Ireland’s national renewable electricity targets and will support a plan-led approach to the strategic planning of renewable technologies.
These measures will enhance Ireland’s energy security and the diversity of our electricity supply.
280. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department is carrying out research or examinations of the potential impact of EU proposals to decouple the renewable electricity price from fossil fuel prices; the way he will ensure that this will not disincentivise further renewable energy projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29620/26]
View answerThe EU’s current power market design rules, Electricity Market Design (EMD), entered into force in July 2024 prompted by the energy price crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which caused record high gas and power prices in 2022.
Following the recent conflict in the middle east, a number of measures have been proposed by the European Commission to better insulate electricity prices from the impact of high fossil fuel prices. However, there has been no proposal to change the marginal price system whereby the last power plant required to meet demand in a given half hour sets the price.
Moving away from marginal pricing as a way to decoupling wholesale electricity prices from gas was discussed in detail during the EMD legislative negotiations. However, no viable alternative was identified at that time due to any change to marginal pricing having potential negative consequences.
Instead, the updated EMD rules aimed to mitigate such volatile spot prices for generators and end users by, among other things, encouraging them to sign long-term contracts, such as power purchase agreements (PPAs) and two way contracts for differences (CFDs), for renewables and low-carbon technologies like nuclear.
In Ireland, the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) operates as a two-way Contract for Difference (CfD) which provides price certainty for supported renewable generation while also ensuring that, when wholesale electricity price exceeds the strike price, supported projects pay back the difference into the Public Service Obligation (PSO) rather than draw support for it.
The existing RESS design therefore not only supports renewable electricity investment by providing stability and certainty to projects but also returns value to consumers in periods where wholesale prices are elevated. Accordingly, this mechanism helps to moderate the impact of future wholesale price volatility for consumers and in effect decouples renewable electricity prices from fossil fuel prices. Policy in respect of pricing options, including those proposed by the European Union, are being analysed by the National Energy affordability Taskforce.
