ICOS welcomes the publication of a Green Paper on Energy Policy and the opportunity to make submissions to the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources on this.

The co-operative model has been a successful in the adoption of a renewable energy production internationally but has been largely overlooked in Ireland as there are several barriers that inhibit communities and businesses from co-operating or initiating community based projects.

Further to this, due to the design of co-operatives, renewable energy co-operatives receive more community support than developer led projects and ensure profits are returned to the community.

ICOS in its submission to the DCENR on the green paper summarise its recommendations as follows:

1. Swift approval and implementation of a Renewable Heating Incentive (RHI)
2. Encouragement for the development District Heating Systems in Rural Communities
3. Promotion of the co-operative model for community owned wind production with turbines with < 500kw power
4. Reform of REFIT system to encourage small scale community wind projects access to the grid
5. Increased interaction between SEAI and planning authorities to ensure better informed planning decisions and proactive planning policy development
6. Development of an accessible financing package for RE projects
7. Increased availability of information for co-ops on RE evolving technologies, increased knowledge sharing between publically supported RE projects and establishment of peer support programmes for start-up renewable energy projects
8. Support for intermediary actors to design and deliver training to help communities with setup, governance and policy understanding etc. involved with the start-up of community co-operatives
9. Facilitation of networks to encourage knowledge transfer between communities implementing RE projects

Please see below for the full text of the ICOS submission to the DCENR on the Green Paper on Energy Policy.

ICOS Submission on Green Paper on Energy Policy in Ireland