Ireland’s maiden renewables auction kicks off following state aid approval

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Image: Flickr/Glyn Lowe.

Renewables auctions in Ireland have been given the go-ahead after the European Commission cleared the country’s mechanism for state aid.

Ireland’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme received EU state aid approval yesterday, with the Commission concluding it did not “unduly distort” competition.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

As a result, Ireland’s first auction for utility-scale renewables can get underway immediately. The first auction bidding stage started today (21 July 2020), with results expected in the coming months.

Executive vice-president of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, who is in charge of competition policy, said: “This Renewable Electricity Support Scheme will contribute to Ireland's transition to a low carbon and environmentally sustainable economy, in line with the European Green Deal and our State aid rules.”

Up to 10% of this is to be set aside for solar PV, with chairman of the Irish Solar Energy Association, David Maguire, welcoming efforts to create a space for solar in the auction despite describing the limitation of 10% as “disappointing”.

The RESS is to run until 2025, although it has already faced minor delays. Its application deadline was pushed back earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, going from 2 April to 30 April 2020.

It has an estimated total budget of between €7.2 billion (£6.5 billion) and €12.5 billion (£11.3 billion). Applicants that are successful are to receive support through the RESS for over 15 years.

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 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.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

August 29, 2025
The first half of 2025 has been the strongest year for UK solar energy generation on record, according to a new report think tank Ember.
Premium
August 29, 2025
PV Tech Premium hears from Renewable Properties and Silicon Ranch about the new 'start of construction' rules for US solar projects.
August 28, 2025
Another high-level inter-departmental symposium on the PV industry was held in Beijing last week, which focused on four key areas including low-prices.
August 27, 2025
Independent power producer RP Global is building a 50MWp solar project in Harbke, Germany.
August 27, 2025
Solargis' Marcel Suri reports on the mixing of datasets in solar project planning to artificially enhance financial attractiveness.
August 27, 2025
Norwegian energy company Statkraft has sold its Netherlands solar portfolio of 120MWp to Dutch renewable energy supplier Greenchoice.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines