The Irish Government is to hold its first auction for renewable electricity in 2019.
Energy Minister Denis Naughten said officials in Dublin are in the final stages of drawing up the so-called Renewable Electricity Support Scheme.
It will be completed by March and brought to government for sign off before being sent to Brussels for state aid approval, said Naughten (pictured).
However, the Energy Minister warned the sector that the focus of the auction-based system, which is to replace the existing feed-in tariff known as Refit, will be on cost reduction.
“I will not allow an approach which locks in high costs for customers. I welcome the diversity of our renewable technology mix, at the appropriate time and at the appropriate cost,” he said.
Dublin has meanwhile opened a consultation on electricity interconnection as it strives to establish a national policy in the area.
Several interconnectors are planned including the so-called 700MW Celtic interconnector with France and Element Power’s 500MW Greenlink line to Wales.
Image: Denisnaughten.ie
Irish set 2019 date for RE sale
By EBS