EU to approve renewable energy subsidy

THE EU is expected to grant energy subsidy approval within the next month, potentially clearing the way for significant job creation and billions of euro worth of investment in Ireland’s renewable energy sector.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan told the national conference of the Irish Wind Energy Association this week that an EU state aids decision on the renewable energy feed in tariff (Refit) programme should be made “in a few weeks”.

The Refit programme provides a guaranteed reference price for renewable energy and is essential to enabling development of renewable energy in Ireland. All EU nations with significant renewable sources operate some version of Refit.