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<p>Energy policy is devolved in Northern Ireland and is the responsibility of the
Northern Ireland Executive Department for the Economy.</p><p> </p><p>The Contracts
for Difference scheme, which applies UK-wide, was not implemented in Northern Ireland.
The reasons were set out by the Northern Ireland Executive Minister for the Economy
in response to a written question (AQW 3094/17-22) tabled on 3 March 2020 and answered
on 19 March 2020. The answer states that the Northern Ireland Executive considered
that joining the scheme, which was introduced in Great Britain in 2014, would have
placed a guaranteed additional cost burden on Northern Ireland consumers, on top of
existing support that consumers already paid for the Renewables Obligations.</p><p>
</p><p>When the primary legislation for Contracts for Difference was put in place
at the outset, provisions were put in place for Northern Ireland to join at a later
date if conditions were right.</p><p> </p><p>In developing its Energy Strategy, <em>The
Path to Net Zero Energy, </em>the Department for the Economy carried out a consultation
from December 2019 to March 2020. This consultation asked whether respondents agreed
that the Department for the Economy should explore with the UK Government Department
for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy the possibility of extending the Contracts
for Difference scheme to Northern Ireland. 92% of respondents answered ‘yes’ to this
question and the Northern Ireland Executive’s Energy Strategy, <em>The Path to Net
Zero Energy, </em>published in December 2021, confirmed that the Northern Ireland
Executive is exploring whether the Contracts for Difference scheme should be extended
to Northern Ireland.</p><p> </p><p>It is vital that the Northern Ireland Executive
is restored, so that locally elected representatives are in place to continue important
policy development relating to energy and net zero on behalf of the people of Northern
Ireland.</p><p><br> <br></p>
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