Western development body welcomes Micro Generation Programme

Plans to encourage homes and farms in the County Mayo region to produce their own renewable energy have been welcomed by the Western Development Commission (WDC).


Under the government’s Micro Generation Programme, households and small business owners will also be given the opportunity to benefit from a guaranteed income of Euro 0.19 per kilowatt hour for the excess power their turbines produce.

According to WDC chief executive Gillian Buckley, the initiative fits in perfectly with the renewable energy projects already under way in the area.

“The WDC has previously identified the potential of the western region’s natural resources of ocean, wind, and wood energy,” she told the Mayo Advertiser.

“Renewable energy micro-generation plays an important role in serving the on-site electricity needs of farms, community centres, public facilities and homes in the western region.”

It is expected that 4,000 micro-generation installations will be rolled out across the country over the next three years, with solar panels and hydro-electric technology eligible for the buy-back scheme as well as wind power.

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