Incentive Changes For Renewable Energy

Updated subsidy incentives have been announced for renewable energy.

Matched by schemes in the rest of the UK, the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO) will come into force on April 1 next year and last for four years.

Support for electricity generated from landfill gas will continue to be supported at one Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROC), the lowest rate of backing.

Solar photovoltaic panels of up to 10kW will stay at four ROCs as costs have come down significantly.

Energy Minister Arlene Foster said: "It is important that ROC subsidies take account of any decreases or increases in technology cost.

"The Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation has contributed to an increasing amount of electricity generated from renewable sources.

"Since its introduction in 2005, renewable electricity generation has increased from a baseline of 3% to 14% for the year ending March 2012. The new banding levels from 1 April 2013 are intended to ensure continued growth in renewable energy whilst minimising the cost to the consumer."

The focus of the banding changes is on large scale renewables (above 5 megawatts) with the majority of changes applying across all three ROs. UK-wide changes include:

•A 10% reduction for large-scale onshore wind to 0.9 ROCs

•Rates of support for offshore wind will reduce as the cost of the technology comes down during the decade

•Support levels for certain marine energy technologies will more than double from 2 ROCs to 5 ROCs per MWh, subject to a 30MW limit per generating station.

(NE)