Our partners John Fogarty and Paul Kenny were called as expert witnesses today to address the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action to discuss citizen and community renewable energy. Much of the discussion focussed on the difficulties for communities in accessing the national grid to be in a position to transport renewable electricity, and selling renewable electricity, and of course the drive from communities to participate in the renewable energy transition.
John started his presentation, “I’m from Templederry, 20 years ago when we set out to develop a community wind farm, we did not think it would take 12 years, and 20 years on we did not think ours would be the only community-owned wind farm in the country. That is a testament to the fact that the system is geared against community generation projects”
The forthcoming Renewable Electricity Support Scheme aims to support communities and citizens to participate in the renewable energy transition. At Community Power we are working to ensure we are ready to support community led renewable energy projects in Ireland to buy and sell community owned renewable power.
You can read the whole transcript here, or watch the video here starting at 45 mins in.
