Written answer
Energy Policy
The Minister outlined supports for solar expansion toward 8 GW by 2030 and said new national planning guidance for solar farms is being prepared.
2. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment in view of the Government’s commitment to achieving 80% renewable electricity by 2030 and the rapidly increasing contribution of solar energy to Ireland’s electricity generation, if he will provide an update on the development of a national policy framework for solar energy development. [67345/26]
Comment on this
Solar energy, through rooftops and large scale solar farms, is rapidly increasingly in importance in terms of supplying growing energy demand and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, both in Ireland and globally. Last month, Ireland reached a record 3 Gigawatts of solar generation capacity, with utility scale solar meeting over a third of national electricity demand on the grid at one point.
Government policy is focused on maintaining this momentum and harnessing our indigenous solar energy as a part of a renewable, secure, and affordable electricity system.
A range of measures are in place to support the accelerated roll out of solar energy, including regular rounds of auctions under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) to deliver utility scale renewable projects, the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) to offer simplified market access for community, SME, and farmer-owned solar projects, and the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) to allow homeowners play an active role in the energy transition through domestic solar panels.
The ESB has indicated that Ireland could expect the 8GW target for solar in Ireland by 2030 to require an area equal to 0.26% of all agricultural land, based on a similar study in the UK.
The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to introduce planning guidelines for solar farms. Planning matters fall within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who, I have been advised, is preparing a new national planning statement on solar energy under the new Planning and Development Act, 2024.
Under the Government’s Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce, officials from my Department will continue to liaise and work closely with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on the ongoing planning reforms, including the alignment of local development plans and regional spatial and economic strategies with national targets and regional allocations for solar and wind in the National Planning Framework.