The Micro Renewable Energy Federation (MREF) has called on the government to act on its public commitment to increase the deployment of solar PV across the country.
The group has said that any further delays in announcing supports for farmers and businesses are “paralyzing investment decisions in renewables”.
It said that this is totally unacceptable against the backdrop of spiralling energy costs and legally-binding climate targets.
Chair of MREF, Pat Smith said that Green Party leader Eamon Ryan now needed to match the public declarations made at his party’s annual convention in November with immediate and easily accessible grant supports.
Ryan, who is also Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, said that solar power targets would be accelerated by five years so that 5,000MW of capacity would be installed before the current government finishes its term.
The MREF chair said that €50 million allocated to support business in the government’s Climate Action Plan should be used to help businesses to adopt renewable technologies.
Smith also called for an increase in grants available for homes to reflect the increased costs associated with solar PV installations.
“Without tangible action on grant supports and the details of these supports being announced, the recent ministerial declarations around governments committed to deployment of solar PV will be seen as just another sound bite by a political leader on the national airwaves.
“There is no time to lose in 2023 if the government is serious about their commitments on solar PV deployment. All businesses, including the farming sector, need to have access to these supports.”
The MREF chair said that full details are needed from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue on the promised solar PV grant supports under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).
“The minister needs to ensure that farmers are allowed to proceed with their renewable projects as soon as their applications are registered with the department [of agriculture].”
“This will reduce market distortion and ensure farmers can take actions to reduce their energy costs early,” he said.
Smith also said that a 6% return promised as part of the smaller scale renewable scheme will not be sufficient enough to incentivise farmers and communities to invest.