Speaking at the announcement Green Party Senator and MEP Candidate Pauline O’Reilly said “this is excellent news. Farms, companies, and community groups can take control of electricity production by becoming small scale electricity producers with the launch of the second phase of the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS).
She continued “SRESS will provide an easier route to market for community projects, while also giving farmers and small businesses opportunities to benefit from the energy transition (from fossil fuels to renewables).
“Phase 2 of SRESS will provide support to electricity export projects through a range of fixed tariffs – for renewable energy communities, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), and farmers – from 50kW up to 6MW”.
She went on to say “SRESS tariffs have been set across six categories – three community rates and three SME rates, covering both solar and wind.
“The largest supported category – grid-scale community solar projects – will receive a guaranteed tariff that’s 20% higher than the average community price in the most recent Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction for community projects in 2022.
She concluded, “this is part of a drive to further increase solar PV generation – to give householders, communities, schools and farmers more opportunities to either sell electricity to the grid, or to power their farms and communities through self-owned generation sources”.
For contact: Senator Pauline O’Reilly 083 004 4711