Ireland

Ireland’s Department of Education says that just over 900 schools out of 1,600 eligible facilities have signed up to participate in the government’s first round of the Solar for Schools Programme, a nationally funded scheme to cover the costs of 6 kW roof-mounted solar installations.

Almost 2 GW of solar was tendered in the latest UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero auction, while almost 500 MW was recently awarded in the latest auction round spearheaded by Irish power transmission operator EirGrid. But these gains come with five challenges, according to analysts from New Zealand-based consultancy firm PSC.

Up to 1,600 schools in Ireland can apply from today to receive 6 kW of solar systems to be installed on their rooftops through a federally funded scheme, the Irish government recently announced.

The Irish government says it expects to meet the ambitious target of installing 8 GW of solar by the end of the decade. It says it will do this through existing measures – such as the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) and microgeneration supports – as well as a new, smaller Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) to be launched in 2024.

Roughly €380 million ($403 million) has been earmarked for spending in Ireland’s residential and community grant upgrade schemes, which includes solar PV installations, according to the Irish government’s 2024 Budget. The head of the local energy association, however, cautions to pv magazine that the new budget may not be ‘quite so generous’ as it first appears.

Conall Bolger, CEO of the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA), has told pv magazine that while it was ‘good’ news the Irish government favored solar PV projects in the latest renewable auction, less than half of solar PV projects selected in the first tender round of the same program would not ‘reach the finish line.’

Ireland’s Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and network operator EirGrid has revealed the 20 solar projects totaling 497 MW that were provisionally selected in the latest auction round of the country’s onshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). The procurement exercise concluded with an average strike price of €0.10047($0.10596)/kWh.

The Irish government has decided to grant rebates ranging from €2,700 ($2,930) to €162,600 for PV projects with capacities ranging from 6 kW to 1 MW under the country’s net-metering scheme.

The Irish cabinet plans to present a new measure in its finance bill this week to eliminate value-added tax (VAT) on solar products.

Power Capital Renewable Energy (PCRE) has secured €240 million ($259.5 million) to build 1.2 GW of solar projects across Ireland. Commercial operations are expected to start in 2025.