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NI energy ministers throws weight behind microwind

Small scale wind energy company Simple Power has welcomed the announcement from Northern Ireland’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster proposing that the level of incentives for the small scale onshore wind sector in Northern Ireland should remain at 4 ROCs until at least 2017

The decision follows a year-long review by Northern Ireland’s Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) into subsidies for renewable energy under the NI Renewables Obligation (NIRO).

While the proposal will be open for consultation until September, Philip Rainey, Chief Executive, Simple Power welcomed the announcement and said: “The announcement is good news for the industry here and will help bring economic growth, jobs as well as a boost for the rural economy.  In her review, the Minister recognises that small scale wind development, in the form of single wind turbines, is one of the most straight forward and accessible forms of renewable energy generation we have.

“Maintaining incentives at 4 ROCs will provide not only certainty but also sufficient time for investment to take place and to provide a credible level of generating capacity.

“We believe the small-scale wind will play a very significant role in helping NI reach its renewables targets and in driving transformation of the local electricity market, providing energy security which will ultimately protect local consumers from rising fossil fuel prices now and in the future.”