New Green Energy Bill To Change How We Produce Energy

Sinn Féin have introduced a new Green Energy Bill, which aims to change the way we produce energy and open up opportunities to families and other small producers.

The bill was introduced by Sinn Féin MLA John O'Dowd. He said: "My Small Scale Green Energy Bill which has started its legislative journey through the Assembly if passed will allow energy consumers to become green energy producers.

"This will incentivise the growth of small-scale green energy production, reduce emissions, increase energy democracy and provide people with additional income.

"The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report represents the latest and most advanced scientific assessment of climate change and the connection between human activity and global warming.

"We cannot address the issues outlined in this report without systemic change.

"Addressing the crisis of climate breakdown must be done in a way which tackles the large corporate polluters, uses public investment to facilitate changes in how we all live and behave and does not punish ordinary people through punitive charges which play no role in changing behaviour.

"Part of tackling climate change is not only changing how we produce energy but who produces it.

"This Bill will make it compulsory for large electricity providers to pay a minimum price for the electricity they get from private, small-scale, green generators.

"It will also require those suppliers to source at least 5% of their energy from such small-scale green generators.

"This will mean that homes, farms, small businesses, community groups and co-ops will be able to generate green electricity from small-scale generators such as wind turbines or solar panels and receive a guaranteed minimum price when they sell it to the grid.

"It would be another small but important step in the right direction towards securing a sustainable planet for future generations."