Energy policy is devolved in Northern Ireland and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive Department for the Economy.<\/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>
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>
In developing its Energy Strategy, 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 \u2018yes\u2019 to this question and the Northern Ireland Executive\u2019s Energy Strategy, 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> 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> The Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation is the principal renewable energy scheme in Northern Ireland, supporting renewable electricity generation. Usually paid for by consumers via their electricity bills, the levy costs are currently further reduced under the UK Government\u2019s energy bill support measures.<\/p> <\/p> The Government continues to work with Northern Ireland\u2019s Department for the Economy officials to identify a suitable pathway for a Northern Ireland Contracts for Difference scheme to bring more renewable generation online.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1482", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Graham Stuart"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2022-11-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues and the Northern Ireland Executive to help ensure that the proportion of energy generated from renewable sources is reflected in the energy prices charged to energy consumers in Northern Ireland; and what recent steps his Department has taken to increase the level of renewable energy generation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1347307", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1347307/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Decarbonisation of Northern Ireland\u2019s electricity system will play a key role in achieving the UK\u2019s 2050 net zero targets. Energy policy is devolved to Northern Ireland. In a consultation earlier this year, the Department for the Economy (DfE) put forward a range of potential policies that could form the basis of Northern Ireland\u2019s new Energy Strategy. This included a proposal to explore the possibility of extending the Contracts for Difference scheme to Northern Ireland. In this context, officials from BEIS and DfE are working together to consider the options.<\/p>"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-07-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Renewable Energy: Northern Ireland"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits for the UK\u2019s net-zero ambitions of extending the Contracts for Difference scheme to cover renewable energy projects in Northern Ireland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426339", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/426339/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Energy policy is devolved in Northern Ireland. I support the development of renewables in Northern Ireland but it is for Ministers in Northern Ireland to decide on what support mechanisms they deem appropriate.<\/p> The focus of the current Feed-in Tariff review is to ensure generators are incentivised appropriately and to seek views on how to control future costs.We do not consider it appropriate at this moment to extend the scope of the scheme.<\/p> My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with Jonathan Bell, her counterpart within the Northern Ireland Executive, on both the 10th<\/sup> and the 16th<\/sup> of June.<\/p> DECC officials regularly engage with their counterparts in the Executive, holding regular meetings to inform and discuss the work being undertaken on support for renewables in Northern Ireland, including in relation to Contracts for Difference, and they will continue to do so.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Renewable Energy: Northern Ireland"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, on what dates meetings have taken place between her Department and the Northern Ireland Executive on Contracts for Difference; and on what dates future such meetings are planned.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4130", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ms Margaret Ritchie"}
], "uin" : "4906"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/178964", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/178964/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with the Northern Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Arlene Foster on 2 February. They discussed the future of the renewable electricity support scheme in Northern Ireland.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3983", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Amber Rudd"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Amber Rudd"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-02-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-02-23T13:22:34.393Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "63"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-02-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Renewable Energy: Northern Ireland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the use of renewable energy in Northern Ireland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1597", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for David Simpson"}
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}
<\/p>"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Northern Ireland"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-01-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Contracts for Difference scheme to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1541082", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"}
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<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-11-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she has taken to support the development of a sustainable and integrated small-scale renewables sector in Northern Ireland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4381", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Danny Kinahan"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/424274", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"}
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"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
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, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Northamptonshire"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "63"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Energy and Climate Change"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-10-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what recent discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the extension of feed-in tariffs to Northern Ireland.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4381", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Danny Kinahan"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Danny Kinahan"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/386618", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Energy and Climate Change"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/386618/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "