Members of the Irish Wind Farmers Association (IWFA) attending its Annual Conference on Thursday last, November 28th, voiced their concern at the slow progress of community wind energy schemes in Ireland due to bureaucratic policies.
The IWFA welcomes the proposed Small Renewable Energy Support Scheme (SRESS) and is calling on the new Government to be proactive and properly support Ireland’s small onshore wind energy sector.
IWFA conference panellist, Michael Quirk, developed a 1.7MW wind farm Crocane Wind Farm in East Cork. Speaking at the IWFA conference, he said, “The RESS scheme has made the terms so restrictive that they’ve killed their own ambition. Planning, regulation and construction costs have all significantly increased. Small developers face high costs and technical challenges integrating with the grid. Banks are reluctant to fund small projects and the tariff does not cover costs or attract investment.
“Everything is more difficult now than it was when I started in the late 1990s. Planning, regulation, and construction costs have gone through the roof, and grid connection is almost impossible for smaller projects.”
CHANGE NEEDED
The IWFA Annual Conference, sponsored by Flogas, brought 120 wind farmers, community groups and SMEs together at the Lyrath Estate Convention Centre, Kilkenny. SRESS, the planning process, grids and markets were topics on the agenda.
The IWFA is now calling for the removal of bureaucracy and simplification of the regulatory processes to allow communities and small enterprises to engage more easily in renewable energy projects. Also, to bring the proposed tariffs for wind projects in line with the 20 per cent top up provided to solar projects. The reduction of the 100% community ownership stipulation in the Small Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) to facilitate community led partnerships with experienced developers, is also being called for.
The strict requirements and planning mire have rendered the development of onshore community projects nearly impossible, exacerbated by a lower price tariff than large RESS for wind.
IWFA members are urging the Government to launch the Small Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) scheme, but fear that the anticipated scheme will struggle to stimulate the renewable energy sector due to the strict regulations.
 attending its Annual Conference on Thursday last, November 28th, voiced their concern at the slow progress of community wind energy schemes in Ireland due to bureaucratic policies.){kind=link}