Sustainable and Renewable Energy Division

Renewable Energy Information (general)

Technical information and advice on all renewable energy sources can be obtained directly from Sustainable Energy Ireland
http://www.seai.ie/Renewables/REIO/

Telephone (023) 8842193

e-mail renewables@reio.ie.


RES-E
The development of Ireland's renewable energy resources in electricity generation has historically been achieved primarily through the administration of competitions under the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) Programme. The six competitions held to date have been conducted under a competitive tendering process. In 2006, the Department announced a change to a feed-in tariff scheme known as Refit.


REFIT I

The Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (REFIT)was announced in May 2006. View Ministers announcement

A copy of the Application Form and terms and conditions of REFIT may be viewed at the attached link. View terms and conditions for REFIT I

Clarifications to the market on REFIT I based on representative queries submitted.
View clarifications
Additional Clarifications for REFIT I


Refit 1 (Reference Price Indexation - Section 5.1 of the Terms and Conditions)

Section 5.2 of the Refit 1 Terms and Conditions provided for adjustments to the reference prices in section 5.1 (i) Large Scale Wind category (ii) Small Scale Wind category (iii) Hydro (iv) Biomass Landfill Gas (v) Other Biomass.

Adjustments are by way of indexation annually, by the annual increase, if any, in the consumer price index in Ireland. The resulting reference prices for 2009 and 2010 are provided for information below.

Please note that these planned Terms and Conditions are not yet final as they are subject to state aids clearance which has yet to be obtained from the European Commission (paragraph 1.4 refers.) An announcement on the Department's website will be made in due course following this process regarding dates for submission of applications under REFIT II (see paragraph 1.5.)

REFIT II - Additional Categories

Documents relating to State Aid No. 571/2006 (REFIT I scheme refers)

The original Refit scheme was notified under EU state aid rules. The European Commission Decision granting clearance issued in September 2007 (link below.)

Notification by Ireland Notification Document

Part I Published Terms and Conditions         Part I S39  

Part III Supplementary Information on Environmental Protection Aid

Query 1 from EC 27 October 2006            Response from Department 31 January 2007

Query 2 from EC 30 March 2007               Response from Department 23 April 2007

Submission 3 May 2007                           Submission 4 July 2007

Submission 13 September 2007                Commission Decision 25 September 2007

Request for Access to Documents from EC 25 September 2008


Relief for investment in renewable energy generation – Section 486B, Tax Consolidation Act (TCA) 1997

1. Section 62 Finance Act 1998 provided for a scheme of tax relief for corporate investments in certain renewable energy projects. The Section came into operation as Section 486B, TCA 1997, with effect from 18 March 1999. Since then, the scheme has been periodically extended to 31 December 2011.

2. The relief applies to corporate equity investments in certain renewable energy generation projects. The relief is given in the form of a deduction from a company’s profits for its direct investment in new ordinary shares in a qualifying renewable energy company.

3. To qualify for this relief, the energy project must be in the solar, wind, hydro or biomass technology categories, and must be approved by the Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources.

4. The relief is capped at the lesser of 50% of all capital expenditure (excluding lands), net of grants or €9.525 million for a single project. Investment by a company or group is capped at €12.7 million per annum, and unless the shares are held for at least 5 years by the corporate investor, the relief “shall” be withdrawn (Section 486B (6) (b) refers).

Guidelines and Application Form (Tax relief - Section 486B)

SI 68 of 2009

Renewable Energy Development Group (REDG)
The Renewable Energy Development Group (REDG) is organised by DCENR and chaired by Sara White, Deputy Secretary General. It is a group of public and private sector stakeholders in the renewable energy sphere. The group meets approximately quarterly.

Renewable Energy Division On-line Information

Ireland launched its programme to promote electricity from renewable energy sources in 1996 in "Renewable Energy - A Strategy for the Future". Policy on renewables was reviewed in 1999 with the publication of a Green Paper on Sustainable Energy. In December 2003 a further review of the sector was launched with the publication of the consultation document “Options for Future Renewable Energy Policy, Targets and Programmes”.

2020 Vision for Renewable Energy

Responses to Consultation Paper

Following the consultation period, the Sustainable Energy Working Group has prepared a paper based on the submissions received. This document, called Summary of Consultation Responses to “All-island Energy Market: Renewable Electricity – A 2020 Vision”, attempts to bring together the principal themes of those responses. It does not purport to be a comprehensive representation of all submissions and the views expressed are solely those of the respondents

It is the intention to advance the process by way of a plenary forum to take place early this year. All respondents will be advised of the date and venue shortly.

Synthesis Paper

• Summary of consultation responses

Responses

Airtricity Airtricity appendix 1 Airtricity appendix 2	Conodate - Gareth Jones
Biofuels Northern Ireland	DARDNI
Bord Gais Energy Supply	Department of Finance
Bord na Mona	Donall Mac An Bheatha
CER	Donegal CDB cover letter
Comhar Leader na hEireann cover letter	Donegal CDB
Comhar Leader na hEireann	Edenderry Power
Competition Authority	EPA EPA appendix
ESB National Grid	ESB
ESB Networks	Marine Institute
ESB International	Meitheal na Gaoithe
ESB Independent Energy	NIE NIE appendix 1
EST Northern Ireland	NUI Maynooth
Hibernian Wind Power	Ocean Energy
IBEC-CBI	OpenHydro
IEE	Phoenix
Invest NI	RSPB Northern Ireland
IWEA	Thermacad Energy
Thermomax	University College Cork
University College Dublin	University of Limerick
Viridian	Wavebob
WWF Northern Ireland

The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey T.D. and his Northern Ireland counterpart Angela Smith MP have jointly issued a preliminary consultation paper on an all-island 2020 vision for renewable energy which seeks views on the development of a joint Republic of Ireland / Northern Ireland strategy for the renewable energy aspects of the All-Island Energy Market, leading up to 2020 and beyond.

The closing date for the consultation period is 30 September 2005 and the contact details are contained in the cover letter.

• 2020 vision for Renewable Energy Cover Letter 
• 2020 vision for Renewable Energy 
• 2020 vision for Renewable Electricity 
• Renewable Energy Division - Contact Details
• Upcoming Events and Latest News Items
• Renewable Energy - Policy Technical and Planning Information

Renewable Energy Consultation Process

• Renewable Energy Consultation Process
• Renewable Energy Consultation document (19 Dec 2003) 
• Renewable Energy - Consultation Annexes (19 Dec 2003) 

Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) Programme

• AER Programme and profile of AER I - VI Competitions 
• AER VI Winners (July 2003) (Excel)
• AER Reserve list (August 2003) (Excel)
• AER VI - Minister announces further support (13 Dec 2004)
• AER V/VI competitions - Clarification of procedures for grants of extensions beyond time deadlines (30 June 2004)
• AER V Bid Price bands 
• AER V and VI Update and details of AER VI bid prices  (Updated February 2005)
• Clarification of clause 2.19 of the AER VI competition notes 

Renewable Energy Generating Plant statistics

• Renewable Energy Generating Plant statistics (Excel)  (updated June 2005)

Wind Energy

Wind Energy Information

Information on Ireland's digitised Wind Atlas 

Publications, Associations/Company details, Useful links

• Publications available in hard copy format or online