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For Written Answer on : 09/09/2024
Question Number(s): 876 Question Reference(s): 35640/24
Department: Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Housing; Local Government and Heritage his plans to develop agricultural land classifications for solar and battery storage such as in place in other jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
The planning systems plays an important role in the delivery of renewable energy development and related development, from both a legislative and a policy perspective.
The Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) provides the basis for plan-making and decision-making within the planning system in respect of solar energy development and battery storage. This legislative framework will be enhanced by the proposals set out within the Planning and Development Bill 2023, which is expected to be signed into law shortly, which will enhance the plan-led approach and give greater certainty for stakeholders.
From a planning policy perspective, the National Planning Framework (NPF) 2018 is the long-term strategy for the spatial development of Ireland to 2040. The current NPF provides support for renewable energy development. The NPF informs a spatial hierarchy of plans that cascade to regional and local levels, through the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) for the 3 regional assembly areas and the city and county development plans for each of the 31 local authorities. The majority of city and county development plans have now been reviewed and adopted by local authorities, providing for alignment with national and regional policy.
The draft First Revision to the NPF was published by Government for public consultation on 10 July 2024, which will run until 12 September 2024. The draft Revised NPF includes enhanced policy support for renewable energy development, including in particular the introduction of regional renewable electricity capacity allocations in order to facilitate the accelerated roll-out and implementation of renewable electricity infrastructure for onshore wind and solar generation development and to achieve the national targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2024.
These allocations are proposed, subject to final approval, to be integrated into the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and the associated Regional Renewable Energy Strategies and in addition are to be translated to county-level targets that will inform city and county development plans. Having regard to this evaluation, each Region will be required to plan for sufficient wind and solar energy development in order to achieve the regional renewable electricity capacity allocations in order to facilitate the national renewable electricity generation targets. This will involve the identification of areas where commercial scale wind and solar energy development will be directed towards, and areas which may not be appropriate for such development.
National Policy Objective 74 of the draft First Revision of the NPF supports the co-location of renewable technologies with other supporting technologies and complementary land uses, including agriculture, amenity, forestry and opportunities to enhance biodiversity and promote heritage assets, at appropriate locations which are determined based upon the best available scientific evidence in line with EU and national legislative frameworks.
In addition, the EU Renewable Energy Directive (2023/2413) – also referred to as ‘REDIII’, introduces ambitious targets and measures seeking to boost renewable energy development, including the central target to increase the share of renewable energy in the EU’s overall energy consumption to 42.5% by 2030, supplemented by an additional indicative target of 2.5%.
The REDIII Directive requires that Member States may adopt one or more plans to designate renewable acceleration areas. The transposition of provisions in RED III is underway, with an initial transposition date of 1 July 2024, with other provisions having a transposition date of 18 months after entry into force of the Directive. This will involve, in part, the need to introduce legislation to facilitate the designation of Renewable Acceleration Areas.
