Blathnaid O'Dea
Irish energy industry calls for 500 MW of storage capacity by 2030
Irish grid operator EirGrid has set the proposed minimum procurement for long-duration energy storage (LDES) procurement at 201 MW, well below its initial 2030 goal of 500 MW of storage capacity.
Civ Robotics unveils AI-powered navigation tool to automate solar construction processes
Civ Robotics’ artificial intelligence (AI) powered navigation system tool is currently being tested at several large solar parks in the United States. The company says it eliminates the need for manual surveying with a sensor device fitted on a construction machine to guide operators to precisely place piles, pallets and PV modules.
Ireland confirms residential rooftop solar grant to remain at €1,800 in 2026
Small-scale rooftop solar accounts for more than 800 MW of Ireland’s 2.1 GW of installed solar PV capacity. The country recently surpassed the 2 GW installation milestone, and subsidies for domestic solar remaining at the current level for the coming year is a win for the industry.
Ireland surpasses 2 GW of installed solar capacity
Ireland’s national solar capacity has risen to 2.1 GW as buildout has accelerated since the first utility-scale project came online in April 2022.
Ireland earmarks €27 million for energy communities
Ireland is investing close to €27 million ($31 million) in community-based energy projects promoting climate action, including small-scale solar installations around the country. A previous phase of the program allocated a total of €24 million to 650 community projects.
Ireland reveals plans for electricity interconnector with Spain
Ireland’s Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien, said the project could be co-funded by the EU and finalized in the mid-2030s.
Croatia’s regulatory deadlock is strangling large-scale solar
Regulatory inaction on grid fees has stalled 3.5 GW of large-scale renewables in Croatia, mostly solar, with developers such as Solvis citing a lack of stable grid-connection rules as a barrier to planning and investment.
Ireland expands scheme offering free solar systems to the medically vulnerable
The Solar PV Scheme for Medically Vulnerable Customers covers all homeowners dependent on electrically powered medical equipment regardless of their energy supplier. It includes a 2 kW solar PV system and around 470 homes have benefited to date.
Ireland allocates over €1 billion to renewables, solar takes lead
For its 2026 budget, the Irish government will allocate a record €558 million ($648.1 million) for home and community energy upgrade grants, including the popular microgeneration scheme for residential PV, and extend the €400 income tax exemption for microgeneration profits until 2028 to help lower energy bills.
Women hold 32% of full-time jobs in the renewable energy sector, IRENA report finds
New data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows women account for only 19% of renewable energy senior leadership positions globally and almost half of the women surveyed report some form of gender-based discrimination in the workplace.
