Ireland’s next renewables auction, RESS-2, has been delayed and will not wrap up until next year.
Energy Minister Eamon Ryan told the Wind Energy Ireland 2021 annual conference on Wednesday the onshore wind and solar round, which was expected to run in 2021, will now be held “early next year”.
Industry sources were shocked by the comment as developers have been planning for a shoot-out this year.
The current programme for government commits to annual auctions after the first one was successfully concluded in 2020.
A spokesman for energy department DECC later confirmed to renews that “results from the (RESS-2) auction will be available in 2022”.
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The issue also reports on how the Irish onshore wind sector can become a major driver of national economic growth while delivering the 4GW of new capacity needed to hit the country’s 2030 green electricity target.
The build-out will require capital spending of almost €2.7bn, according to new research authored by KPMG and released on the final day of Wind Energy Ireland 2021.
The study shows around 2000 additional jobs could be created in the sector in the next 10 years as developers aim for the 8.2GW generation goal.
In other news from the day, SSE Renewables has urged the Irish government to pursue a ScotWind-like regime for offshore wind leasing.
Market development director Maria Ryan told WEI 2021 the “holistic” nature of the process in Scotland would be a better approach for the nascent Irish sector than a UK Round 4-style shoot-out.
Dublin, which is reviewing its leasing regime following the UK’s bidding round in February, should consider more than just price, including supply chain commitments and the ability to deliver projects, said Ryan.