Irish authorities have extended the deadline for qualification for the country’s first renewables auction by a month due to the “unprecedented challenges” facing developers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Energy Department said the window to qualify for the round known as RESS 1 will run to 30 April rather than the 2 April as initially planned.
A “revised auction timetable” will be published by transmission system operator Eirgrid by end-April. The tender had been due to run in June.
Cornwall Insight Ireland training consultant Ruth Young said the round is now likely to take place a month later.
“Concerns such as getting necessary documentation, including Director declarations, has been made apparent to the department. Not to mention the significant challenge that any community-led project would have had in organising an application with current social-distancing advice in place,” she said.
“Given the time it has taken to get to this stage in RESS, some may be frustrated with the delay. However, this is an unprecedented event, so a delay of this nature seems sensible and certainly, some participants will be very glad to see this announcement.”