The environmental report and draft regulation regarding the planning exemptions of solar panel installations are expected to be published shortly after a four-week public consultation. This comes as exemptions to install solar panels on the roofs of farm buildings are expected by the end of June.
The derogation means that planning permission would no longer be required for larger installations of solar panels on residential rooftops, schools, community centres and some commercial buildings.
Green Part TD, Steven Matthews has since welcomed that this “unnecessary planning regulation” would be removed. Deputy Matthews says “solar power, in both individual rooftops and at utility scale, has huge potential in supplying our energy needs and helping to achieve the targets in our Climate Action Plan. In providing more clarity on the matter, the Wicklow TD states that “the Microgeneration Support Scheme will also allow residents to get paid for excess energy they generate. Payments for excess energy have commenced and the roll out of smart electricity meters to facilitate individuals to ‘feed-back’ into the national grid is accelerating.”
Referring to the impact of the solar installations, Matthews says that this has the potential to create thousands of jobs, increase reliability and resilience in our energy supply and lead to a decarbonised future. The announcement comes on the back of a bill brought to the Seanad by the Green Party in June 2021.