Green Party Energy spokesperson Cllr Cadogan Enright says homeowners and farmers in Northern Ireland are missing out on a deal that allows people in the Republic of Ireland who produce their own electricity to sign up to a new scheme that will pay them for any spare energy they generate.
Under a programme announced by the Green Party’s Irish Energy Minister Eamon Ryan, there will be incentives for small-scale generation of electricity for domestic users with wind and water turbines, solar panels and combined heat and power units.

Cllr Enright believes that people here are at a disadvantage when compared to the Republic, despite the existence of a Single Electricity Market on the island: “The new scheme in the Republic shows forward thinking by the Minister, encouraging members of the public to use renewable energy sources for their homes and benefit from it financially. Once again we are falling behind as we do not have the same level of assistance to stimulate a drive towards renewables.”

The first 4,000 people to sign up to the scheme with the Irish Electricity Supply Board will get a guaranteed price of 19 cents per kWh.  The current total payment available on this side of the border for generating electricity and feeding back to the grid is approximately 10 pence, which is much less than the 19 cents offered in the new scheme.

Cllr. Enright said: “Every farm and house can become a mini power plant. This long-demanded Green Party policy will help people to lower their energy costs and fight climate change. It is now time for the energy regulator and NIE to introduce similar rates. The rules have changed in the Republic and should change here too. Before, you received your power from a central source and paid for it. Now you can generate for yourself and be paid for the excess. We can use our abundant natural resources to bolster the economy, create skilled, lasting, green-collar jobs and reduce carbon emissions at the same time. This type of long-term investment with a guaranteed return represents the best value for spending and lending.”

The South Down Cllr. said: “By generating power at home from clean, renewable sources, we will improve our energy independence and keep more money in Northern Ireland. We do not want to be dependent on Russia, Saudi Arabia or even England for our energy needs; we can supply our own.”