Debate contribution: Renewable Electricity Generation Bill: Second Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Daniel McCrossan on 8 September 2026.

MLA: Mr Daniel McCrossan
Party at the time: Social Democratic and Labour Party
Date: 8 September 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: Renewable Electricity Generation Bill: Second Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5673904

Text

I thank the Member for the intervention. That uncertainty needs to be addressed and, hopefully, the Minister can bring some insight and clarification. I see the opportunity around ROCs in the future as an opportunity for growth. There are people with expertise and knowledge about what they are doing who are already in the system. They are ready to move forward, but they need that help and push to grow the sector further. Of course, we cannot talk about energy without addressing the huge elephant in the Building, which is the RHI. We cannot debate another Government-backed renewable support mechanism without acknowledging what happened during the renewable heat incentive scheme. It was badly mishandled, and it created a very difficult and awkward situation for this place. There were serious failures in the scheme's design, financial controls, governance and oversight, which have been well rehearsed and acknowledged. Those failures cost the public purse, but, more importantly, they damaged public confidence in government in relation to those matters. We must all learn from that, but the lesson from the RHI cannot be that Northern Ireland should be frightened to support the renewable energy sector. We would do ourselves a huge disservice and fail future generations if we were to allow the ghost of the RHI to haunt our future. We must move forward. The lesson from the RHI is that we have to do it properly. In any future system, we need robust financial controls, transparency, independent scrutiny, regular review, value for money and very clear accountability from those who manage the scheme. We need to encourage private investment without creating unacceptable risks for taxpayers and consumers. Communities, as has been well rehearsed, must benefit. If a community hosts significant renewable infrastructure, the people who live there should see a meaningful return in that area. Therefore, community benefit should be real and tangible, not simply tokenistic or a box-ticking exercise. Ultimately, the success of the legislation cannot simply be measured by megawatts of renewable generation. We need to ask what it can deliver. Does it give households greater protection from global energy shocks? Does it lower and stabilise costs for our businesses? Does it improve our energy sector? Does it attract investment and create jobs here? Does it support our farmers and rural communities? Does it allow local businesses and smaller generators to participate? Does it allow Northern Ireland to retain more of the money that we currently send elsewhere to purchase our energy? Northern Ireland has the resources. We have the agricultural base, businesses, expertise, including engineering expertise, and people who are prepared to invest, but we have lacked pace, joined-up government and leadership on those issues. The Audit Office made that point abundantly clear. I support the Bill, and the SDLP supports it at Second Stage, but, as we have learned, passing the legislation is the easy part. Delivery is what matters now. We need to streamline planning, strengthen our grid and support businesses that are prepared to invest. We need a fair transition that allows existing ROC-supported generators to grow. We need to unlock the potential of wind, solar, hydro, anaerobic digestion, biogas, biomethane, sustainable biofuels and any emerging future technologies. We must all learn every lesson from the RHI. If we get the Bill right, renewable energy will not be viewed as a burden or simply another target that this place must meet but as one of the greatest economic opportunities for our people and our society. It is an opportunity to create jobs, support our businesses and farmers and create more opportunities for people in rural communities, which have lacked access to new businesses and opportunities. It is an opportunity to improve our energy security and protect our families and businesses from the next global energy shock. It is important that we get it right. We must seize the opportunity, move quickly and deliver it for everyone this time.

652 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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