Community-based requirement for Renewable Electricity Support Scheme

Country / jurisdiction: Ireland · Year: 2021 · Status: In force · Level: National · Type: Voluntary

New requirement ensures community projects will be 100% community-owned to gain 15 year support in Government’s renewable electricity support scheme (RESS).

The first RESS auction held in 2020 included a provision that mandatory Community Benefit Funds would be established by all successful projects. These Funds are set at €2/MWh for all generation projects and are to be used for the wider environmental, social and cultural well-being of the local community.

In July 2021, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications launched a range of new measures to ensure communities nationwide which will benefit from renewable energy.

The package includes:

- Targeted support for communities who want to develop their own renewable projects;

- Good Practice Principles that will ensure communities benefit from funds generated by other renewable energy projects in their locality;

- A new Steering Board to guide the development of the community energy sector.

Official source: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/a3abb-minister-ryan-steps-up-ambitions-for-community-energy-sector/