Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Generation

Small-Scale Generation is defined as renewable electricity generation technologies with an electricity output greater than 50kW, but smaller than typical commercial generators.

SRESS is a renewable electricity scheme, without an auction, operated by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

SRESS has been designed with small-scale (above 50kW and up to 6MW in capacity size) community, farm, and SME projects very much in mind and offers such projects a simpler, non-competitive, route to market.

The SRESS will be operated on the basis of a policy lifetime out to 2030 and includes a 15-year tariff support lifetime for successful export applicants.

The Terms and Conditions of the export phase of SRESS were published in December 2024 and the scheme is now open for applications from 27 January 2025.

Applications will be processed in the order they are received, and once the volume for successful applications has been reached, no additional applications will be accepted.

To apply for the scheme, applicants must complete the application form, which is included in the Application Information Pack below. Completed application forms must be returned to sress@decc.gov.ie

Any additional queries relating to the application process can also be directed to sress@decc.gov.ie

Phase One: Renewable Self-Consumers above 50kW and up to 1MW (From 2023)

Given the requirement to rapidly accelerate the rollout of renewables to meet CAP 23 and solar PV targets, capital grants are now being provided for solar installations for this cohort for an interim period up to the end of 2025. The appropriate form of support for post 2025 will be determined before the end of 2025.

The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications have amended the SEAI Non-domestic Microgeneration Grant scheme, to provide for grants to renewable self-consumers up to 1MW. This amendment represents the first phase of the SRESS, offering immediate financial grants for Solar PV installations to this cohort.

Separately, with the introduction of the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) in 2021, any residual renewable electricity not consumed on the premises of renewable self-consumers is also now eligible for an export payment from their electricity supplier, which further supports the investment. Further information on the CEG is provided below.

Phase Two: Community and SME/farming export projects from 50kW up to 6MW

Support is provided to these projects through a guaranteed tariff. This tariff is characterised by a Feed-in Premium (FiP) tariff without an auction. The support rate will be provided for the support lifetime, with successful applicants receiving a premium on the market revenues they receive for their renewable electricity. In addition, export-only projects (that is, those renewable electricity generation projects which are not renewable self-consumers) below 1 MW are also supported under this category. The Terms and Conditions of the export phase of SRESS have now been published and the scheme is open for applications since 27 January 2025.

A different tariff is provided depending on whether the project is a Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SME) or a Renewable Energy Community (REC). A higher rate is provided for RECs due to the additional barriers they face when establishing projects such as planning, grid connection and financing, in addition it is a reflection of public policy preference for community involvement in renewable energy projects, including CAP targets of at least 500 MW of local community-based renewable energy projects by 2030. Farmers are eligible to apply on the same basis as SMEs. Please go to the 'Useful links' section for information and guidance on establishing renewable energy projects.

The SRESS Tariff Rates are set out in the table below:

SRESS Renewable Energy Communities Tariff Rates

SRESS SMEs Tariff Rates

Phase Three: All Categories Tariff Support (From 2026)

It is intended that all categories of applicant, including Renewable Self-Consumers from 50kW to 1MW, will be supported via a Feed in Tariff post-2025. It is proposed that the final decision on this will be taken after up-to-date analysis in 2025.

Some other Key Design Features of the SRESS are listed below.

Consumer Protection – The above-mentioned premium tariff for export led projects is a two-way tariff. This will help to protect electricity customers from high electricity prices by ensuring that projects are not over-compensated and contribute monies back to the PSO at times of high-electricity prices.

Eligible Technologies – The tariffs provided are for solar and wind, as it is expected that the overwhelming majority of applicants will comprise of these two technologies. As the scheme progresses, the possibility of expanding the range of tariffs to include other technologies will be considered.

Community Participation – The SRESS aims to provide an easier route to market for community projects than the competitive RESS auction process, without any competitive auction, while also enabling farmers, businesses and others to maximise their participation in the energy transition.

Export-led Community projects will be eligible for further enabling supports. These will be similar to those developed under the SEAI’s RESS Community Enabling Framework. This is a package of enabling supports including technical, and financial services which it is proposed will be available to Community projects under the SRESS.

Further details of this existing RESS support for communities, including a range of practical guidance modules on a wide range of renewable energy topics are available on the SEAI website.

50kW rooftop or ground mounted installations require approximately 125 to 200 solar panels. That would require 250-300m2 of roof space. For context, a double tennis court is around 260 m2.

Alternatively, a 50kW ground-mounted system would require around a third of an acre of land (0.1ha).

Approximately 3.75-5 acres (1.5-2ha) is required to support 1MW of solar capacity.

The Clean Export Guarantee (CEG) tariff provides an opportunity for micro-and small-scale generators in Ireland to receive payment from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity they export to the grid. This remuneration is intended to reflect the wholesale market value of the electricity.

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) published a decision on an interim enabling framework for the CEG on 1 December 2021.

This decision outlines the interim arrangements for the implementation of the CEG, including eligibility criteria and remuneration methodology. The CRU has decided that suppliers will set their individual CEG tariffs on a competitive market basis. The CRU decision also includes a number of provisions to ensure that the implementation of the CEG aligns with the National Smart Metering Programme.

The CEG became available upon the transposition of Article 21 of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) into Irish law on 15 February 2022. It is available to both new and existing micro- and small-scale generators who fulfil the eligibility criteria set out in the CRU decision. All electricity suppliers have a CEG tariff in place

Further details are available on the CRU website.

In September, 2022 ESB Networks opened a pilot scheme for Small-Scale Generation. The initial scope of the pilot is to run for six months and enable up to 100 connections in this range. Feedback and learnings will be taken throughout the duration of the pilot and will be used to develop and enhance our future generator connection process .

For larger installations, the Enduring Connection Policy (ECP) process for grid connection applications is the current main pathway for generators, storage and other system services technology projects to connect to the electricity system. More information is available on the ESB Networks website.

The ESB Networks Generation Minimum Calculator provides an estimation of the minimum costs associated with connecting to the network. Please note that this will not necessarily be the final cost and a detailed study will always be required to identify any other potential costs, which may be added to the cost of the proposal.

A grid available capacity map also provides an indication of the available transformer capacity at substations.

Both tools are available on the ESB Networks website.

A scheme to support the deployment of small-scale renewable electricity generators was identified as a key action to deliver on the Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) target of up to 5GW of solar by 2025, and 8GW by 2030, as well as at least 500 MW of local community-based renewable energy projects and increased levels of new micro-generation and small-scale generation.

Following a public consultation on proposed High-Level Design features of a Small-Scale Generation Support Scheme in 2022, Government approved the High-Level Design of the Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) on 23 June 2023.

The SRESS is a key building block to deliver on Ireland’s solar targets and forms part of the government’s comprehensive enabling framework for Renewables Self-Consumers. The SRESS will offer supports for renewable electricity installations which are not as suited to other support measures, such as the utility scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) and the Micro-generation Support Scheme (MSS).

The Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Test is a tool that has been designed to assist policymakers consider the SME perspective when making any new policies, legislation (primary or secondary), or regulatory compliance requirements. During the development of the SRESS scheme and the application process consideration was given to the provisions of the SME Test.

Further information and guidance is available on the following links:

• Community Enabling Framework - SEAI
• Use of agricultural land for renewable energy generation - Teagasc
• The potential of solar PV on Irish farms - Teagasc
• Wind energy - Teagasc