37. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which the Government intends to support pilot scale electrolyser deployment that can absorb surplus renewable electricity, as referenced in the National Hydrogen Strategy; and whether targeted State funding will be made available to ensure these projects can begin operation before 2030. [38324/26]
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
Browse the questions
Showing questions asked by Erin McGreehan .
93 questions match, newest first.
38. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the steps being taken to address delays in offshore wind development which are impacting Ireland's ability to establish an indigenous green hydrogen industry; and whether the State will provide interim financial supports to hydrogen demonstration projects pending full renewable generation build-out. [38325/26]
39. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether specific funding streams will be introduced to support hydrogen pilot projects in hard to abate industrial sectors, such as high temperature heat applications, which the Strategy identifies as early priority use-cases; and if such funding will form part of the forthcoming Climate Action Plan measures. [38326/26]
40. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the Government will financially support pilot projects testing hydrogen storage, port infrastructure or repurposed gas network assets, in line with the infrastructure goals outlined in the National Hydrogen Strategy; and when details of such supports will be announced. [38327/26]
41. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the steps being taken to financially de-risk early hydrogen production and export focused pilot projects, following the Department's commissioning of a 2025 study indicating Ireland's potential to produce significantly more renewable hydrogen than domestic demand; and whether export-oriented pilots will receive targeted state support…
111. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which he is enhancing energy security specifically with regard to diversifying sources of supply in order to cushion Ireland from global energy shocks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27302/26]
132. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures he is taking with regard to generating energy from hydrogen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27301/26]
457. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the rationale for setting initial renewable heat obligation levels at rates that independent analysis has shown will not require any additional renewable fuel blending; and if he will outline the evidence base used to determine that these obligation levels would achieve measurable emissions reductions. [25419/26]
458. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has modelled alternative obligation trajectories beginning at 5% or higher; and if so, whether he will publish the analysis of their impact on emissions reductions, consumer cost, and renewable fuel uptake. [25420/26]
459. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department will commit to establishing a clear, multi-year obligation trajectory to 2030, rather than a two year window, given that internal Government analysis indicates a minimum 15% obligation will be required to meet RES-H targets. [25421/26]
460. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which the proposed RHO will deliver a viable decarbonisation solution for the 700,000 households using heating oil, many of whom are located in rural areas and cannot access the natural gas grid; and if he will outline the alternatives for these homes if renewable liquid fuel blending is not meaningfully increased. [25422…
461. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the assessment his Department has undertaken regarding the age and income profile of off-grid households; and the way in which the proposed RHO will avoid disproportionately increasing heating costs for these groups without delivering corresponding environmental benefits. [25423/26]
462. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will publish his Department's cost-benefit analysis showing the expected financial impact on households under the current RHO obligation levels; and whether consideration has been given to offsetting measures within the taxation of renewable fuels to ensure consumer affordability. [25424/26]
463. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment whether his Department has assessed the likely administrative and compliance cost burden on suppliers under the proposed scheme; and whether these costs are expected to be passed on to consumers despite no requirement for increased renewable content in heating fuels at the obligation levels proposed. [25425/26]
464. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which his Department plans to utilise the EU Union Database for Biofuels to ensure full traceability and sustainability verification for renewable liquid fuels used for home heating. [25426/26]
106. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the actions taken to date to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to use surplus renewable energy to assist households in fuel poverty; the specific milestones achieved; and the timeline for full implementation. [19707/26]
107. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to set out the policy mechanism by which surplus/curtailed renewable generation can be repurposed for social use and whether primary legislation or secondary regulation is required to operationalise it. [19708/26]
108. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to confirm the Department's estimate of wasted renewable energy in the 13 months to 31 January 2026 (reported as 1,537 GWh) and the approximate retail value (€559m); and the portion that could be practically redirected to households in energy poverty within 12 months under a Government led scheme. [19709/26]
109. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department has undertaken a cost benefit analysis of capturing a portion of the reported €1.369 million per day in value currently being lost; and if so, to publish that analysis and the assumptions used. [19710/26]
110. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason the National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT) will not report until at least July 2026; and the reason interim actions have not been taken to utilise wasted renewable energy for energy poverty alleviation ahead of Budget 2027. [19711/26]
111. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to direct the CRU and EirGrid to develop a Social Use of Surplus Energy (SUSE) pathway that prioritises dispatch down energy for pre programmed immersion controllers or other socially targeted loads, and to outline the necessary market rules (e.g., settlement, metering, curtailment signals). [19712/26]
112. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment his Department's position on curtailment compensation where generators facilitate no cost social redirection of otherwise wasted electricity; and whether State aid clearance is envisaged. [19713/26]
113. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to approve a national pilot to convert a portion of curtailed energy into hot water heating for households in energy poverty, noting EnergyCloud's estimate of 3 kWh per tank (equating to 512 million tanks potentially heated from the waste volume cited); and to provide targets, geographic spread, and monitoring metrics. [19714/26]
114. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to allocate a ring fenced fund to cover enabling hardware (smart switches/controllers), installation, communications, and programme administration for households identified as being in energy poverty. [19715/26]
115. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the number of households currently assessed as being in energy poverty (reported as c. 550,000); the number in electricity bill arrears (over 320,000); and whether the Department will integrate a 'surplus energy credit' into the Household Benefits Package or Additional Needs Payments. [19716/26]