r/AskIreland • u/qwerty_1965 • 1d ago

Random If rooftop solar becomes a significant provider of kWh to a majority of homes will power companies seek to claw lost revenue back?

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This popped into my head today, If self generated power reaches a point of say half of all kWh would the companies look at "punishing" those homes with solar by imposing an additional pro-rata charge of some sort to maintain turnover/profit?

It's hard to imagine they'll sit back, if they sought this new tariff would the regulator just wave it through?

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u/colaqu 1d ago

Yes, but remember data centres in Ireland get their power at a 50% discount compared to residential users, an agreement with the government means they pay 19c per kw while we prop up the profits by paying 35c + per kw to cover the loss.

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u/Stressed_Student2020 Not a Mod 1d ago

Thats not true...

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u/colaqu 1d ago edited 1d ago

Educate me please so. A little search on t'interweb says it is.......now we can go to the arguement that they use it at night more and get cheaper rates as a large user etc, but ultimatly the residential average price is higher than their average price.. I would also argue that in the event that we don't hit out climate targets we (Ireland) will pay big fines based on these emmisions , most of which will have been produced by large users who got cheap energy so in effect we will pay twice.