Ireland opts for solar auctions as FiT rejected

September 5, 2017
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
New plans released offer no certainty for small-scale solar and choose an auction-based system for large-scale solar.

Irish solar developers will have to compete with other renewable energy technologies in large-scale auctions under government proposals unveiled yesterday, which also failed to offer concrete plans for support to rooftop solar.

After months of delay, the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment (DCCAE) published its consultation on the design of a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme in Ireland, which will be used to meet the country’s 2030 renewable electricity objective of 40%.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

It sets out plans for a ‘principal category auction’ encompassing all viable technology options which will compete on a cost effective basis. A selection of winners will be based on price only, with solar having to compete with other technologies with similar viability gaps.

The other generation assets to be included in the RESS are varying forms of wind, bioenergy, CHP, hydro, ocean, waste to energy and geothermal.

This story originally appeared on our UK sister site Solar Power Portal, get the full article here.

3 November 2026
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2027. PV ModuleTech Europe 2026 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.

Read Next

March 12, 2026
Google has finalised its acquisition of US renewable energy developer Intersect Power, a part of its plan to power its data centre expansions in the US.
March 12, 2026
Foresight Group has made its first investment in New Zealand's renewable energy sector, acquiring development platform NZ Clean Energy (NZCE).
March 11, 2026
EU member states awarded a record 25.2GW of new solar PV capacity through auctions in 2025, according to SolarPower Europe.
March 11, 2026
VDE Americas has updated its hail risk model with new wind data, claiming it will improve the accuracy of hail-damage predictions for PV projects.
March 11, 2026
The selling price of several solar PV module technology types in Europe has increased between January and February of this year.
March 11, 2026
As TOPCon manufacturing expands globally, producers are facing different cost, safety and supply-chain realities – creating an opportunity to rethink technology platforms and prepare for next-generation tandem architectures.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Dallas, Texas
Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain