Kildare Senator's call to fast-track solar panels for homes to help fight fuel crisis
The government has been urged by a Kildare Senator to fast-track free solar roof panels for every home to help fight climate change.
The government’s Climate Action Plan published last year vowed to install one million solar panels across Ireland to achieve an overall target of 2.5GW solar electricity by 2030.
But Kildare Senator Mark Wall said that promoting renewable energy in communities must be an urgent priorty given the risk of a growing energy crisis due to global factors such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The South Kildare politician said: “I get so many enquires about solar panels from homeowners who want to tap into the system and use renewable energy.
“The problem for many is that the cost is still too prohibitive. The Government grant does not go far enough and the initial outlay is still too costly for many households.”
He added: "We have heard of the billions of euros that the Government are allocating to renewable energy grants and systems but the process remains a very slow one.
"The most important consideration for many households is the massive outlay required to bring their homes up to an acceptable standard where they will notice a difference in their bills and their insulation."
Homeowners can currently receive grants of up to €2,400 to install solar panels from the Sustainable Energy Authority Of Ireland (SEAI).
Homes and businesses can also be paid for any surplus electricity they sell on to the national grid under the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS).
The government is also changing regualtions so that houses will soon be able to install solar panels on their roofs without any requirement for planning permission.
Exceptions are also being made to for installations on community and educational buildings, places of worship such as churches, health buildings, libraries and farms.
The proposed changes are part of an overall drive to increase Ireland’s generation of solar energy and national action on climate change.