Designing a renewable electricity support scheme consultation

Views sought on design considerations for the development of a renewable electricity support scheme for Northern Ireland.

The Department for the Economy (DfE) has launched a consultation on Design Considerations for a Renewable Electricity Support Scheme for Northern Ireland.

This is a key step to achieving the 80 per cent renewable electricity consumption target by 2030 set out in the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

The consultation is the first step towards the implementation of a support scheme that can ensure electricity generation from a diverse range of renewables. Such a scheme is essential to deliver on the NI Executive’s Energy Strategy targets and ensure NI can effectively attract investors to benefit from green growth opportunities while also protect consumers from global price shocks.

Input is sought on a number of considerations for the design of a support scheme, including options to define the principles underpinning the support scheme, as well as more granular aspects of the scheme design such as subsidy structure and eligibility criteria.

DfE is encouraging everyone who has an interest in renewable electricity development and the wider energy sector to provide comments. This will provide DfE with valuable insight, which will be analysed and considered throughout future stages of development and implementation of a renewable electricity support scheme for Northern Ireland.

Find out more about the consultation and how to respond.

First published 2 February 2023