30 AUGUST 2017

ICSA president Patrick Kent has welcomed the report by Joseph Curtin on behalf of Friends of the Earth which strongly recommends that state policy should support roof-top solar energy. The report proposes a combined tariff for generation and export to the grid, which essentially means that adopters of the technology would sell excess energy to the grid.

“While the report is focused on households it also makes sense that we should incentivise farmers who have significant roof space over farm sheds to invest in solar energy. However, getting access to the grid must be a priority, as is setting a fair REFIT tariff.”

“The reality is that we are falling way sort of 2020 targets on renewable energy. We urgently need to get our act together. The focus of our strategy must be to ensure that renewables are sourced in Ireland and benefit our local communities. Apart from solar, we urgently need to look at how to use Irish derived renewable energy using readily available biomass from wood, and of course, the huge potential in recycling manures and other organic material in anaerobic digesters.”

The ongoing delay in announcing the Renewable Heat Incentive and the ongoing uncertainty around REFIT tariffs point to the fact that Government policy on renewables is unfit for purpose.

ENDS