Background information

The Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) was designed to allow small community, farm and Small and Medium Entreprises (SME) a simple, non-competitive route to market. It is operated by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications. A scheme to support the deployment of small-scale renewable electricity generators was identified as a key action and building block to deliver on Ireland’s solar targets and forms part of the Government’s comprehensive enabling framework for Renewables Self-Consumers.

Content of measure

The Scheme includes a number of supports:

• Capital grants for solar installations for an interim period up to the end of 2025.
• Support for community and SME/farming projects exporting 50kW to 6MW through a guaranteed tariff. 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 20% higher than the average community price in the most recent RESS auction for community projects in 2022.
• A Feed in Tariff for all applicants post-2025.

The tariffs provided are for solar and wind energy production. Applications will open in late 2024.

Use of measure

During Phase One of SRESS, 980 applications for solar rooftop installations were approved, costing €17.6 million, amounting to a total installation capacity of 88MW.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Sector specific set of companies SMEs One person or microenterprises Other businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	European Funds National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	No involvement
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

N/A

Views and reactions

N/A

Sources

• 21 July 2023: Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Generation (www.gov.ie)
• 22 May 2024: Minister Ryan announces launch of the second phase of the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) (www.gov.ie)