Ireland S.I. 755/2024: Small-Scale Solar & Storage Regulations Guide

Key Takeaways

• Statutory Instrument S.I. No. 755 of 2024 amends Regulation 2(1) of the Principal Regulations (S.I. No. 365 of 2020) to establish definitions for small-scale renewable generation and storage.
• General renewable electricity generation (including solar PV) and storage projects qualify as small-scale installations with installed capacity below or equal to 1 MW.
• Renewable Energy Community (REC) projects, 100% SME-owned projects, and demonstration projects qualify under an expanded ceiling below or equal to 6 MW installed capacity or maximum demand.
• Dedicated wind generation projects 100% owned by micro or small enterprises or RECs qualify up to 18 MW installed capacity.
• Implements Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 of 17 June 2014 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1315 of 23 June 2023 into Irish national energy framework.

Statutory Purpose of S.I. No. 755 of 2024

Signed by Minister Eamon Ryan and published in Iris Oifigiúil on 10 January 2025, Statutory Instrument S.I. No. 755 of 2024 (European Union (Renewable Energy) (Amendment) Regulations 2024) updates Ireland's regulatory framework for distributed solar and storage projects.

Exercising ministerial powers under Section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 (No. 27 of 1972), the instrument gives effect to Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of 11 December 2018 and transposes European Commission General Block Exemption Regulation aid compatibility rules into domestic Irish law.

Capacity Thresholds for Solar PV and Storage Installations

S.I. No. 755 of 2024 amends the definition of "small scale installations" in Regulation 2(1) of S.I. No. 365 of 2020, establishing three distinct tiers:

Commercial developers operating standard solar PV arrays above 1 MW fall outside the small-scale classification and must comply with full utility-scale auction and state aid administrative rules.

European State Aid Alignment & Block Exemption Rules

The instrument formally incorporates the amended European Commission rules:

• Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014: Established baseline compatibility criteria for state aid in renewable energy on 17 June 2014.
• Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1315: Modernised block exemption limits on 23 June 2023 to accelerate distributed energy storage and solar deployment across EU member states.

By updating the definitions in S.I. No. 365 of 2020, S.I. No. 755 of 2024 ensures Irish community energy schemes and commercial solar-plus-storage autoproducers operate within clear European legal parameters.