Ireland auctions 1.9 GW of solar and wind power – EQ Mag Pro
80 new wind and solar projects have been awarded in Ireland’s latest Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS 2) auction.
The projects, amounting to 1.9 GW, were chosen from among 130 renewable energy projects that participated in the auction.
Some 50 projects totaling 998 MW of capacity submitted to the auction did not qualify for state support.
It represents an increase over RESS-1, in which 1.2 GW of capacity was awarded.
However, auction broker EirGrid reported an average strike price for all projects of €97.87/MWh, compared to €74.08/MWh offered to projects in the inaugural 2020 round.
The average price granted for community-based projects has also increased, going from €104.15/MWh in RESS 1 to €116.41/MWh in RESS 2.
Solar power has once again led the pack, accounting for all but 11 projects that successfully applied for the pricing mechanism.
PV projects that have provisionally won contracts include Soleire Renewables’ 120 MW Ballyroe, East Laois Solar Farm Limited’s 80 MW Loughteague and Joriclo’s 80 MW Gaskinstown.
A total of 414 MW of new onshore wind capacity has been awarded with projects provisionally awarded contracts, including the 104.4 MW Yellow River wind farm, which SSE Renewables acquired from Green Wind Energy (Wexford) Ltd in 2019, and Bord Na Mona’s 105 MW Derrinlough wind farm.
Under the RESS scheme, projects will be eligible to receive a guaranteed price for up to 16.5 years of their useful life.
The final results of the auction will be published on June 15, pending the approval of the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications.
Source: evwind
