The Irish government's approval of long-awaited plans for a new competition-based Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) met with a qualified welcome from the nation's clean energy sector, with some voicing fears that a lack of technology-specific auctions could hold back offshore wind and solar.
The government hopes a first auction in 2019 will spur rapid development of ‘shovel ready’ onshore renewables projects to help the country meet its 40% EU renewable power target by 2020, with offshore wind set to play a role in Ireland's ambitions out to 2030.
