Ireland’s dedication to renewable energy has never wavered, with the country releasing its 2025 Renewable Energy Policy Handbook Update. This major initiative sets a roadmap of how the government intends to achieve its ambitious energy and emission targets. These points are outlined in Malta’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) for the decade 2021-2030. In 2024, Ireland will publish a full Policy Snapshot. This program is designed to help reinforce this country’s leadership in sustainable energy.
Therefore, the updated handbook highlights the importance of the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). This scheme has since become a cornerstone of Ireland’s strategy to increase renewable electricity generation. The RESS is divided into several auction tiers, each one tailored to various capacities and technologies. The outcomes of these auctions will be crucial in delivering Ireland’s climate goals.
Overview of the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme
As a result, Ireland’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) has been and continues to be instrumental in supporting the expansion of the country’s renewable energy pipeline. Created to spur economic development in clean energy, RESS works through a series of annual, competitive auctions. These so-called delivery auctions let developers compete to receive fixed payments for each unit of electricity they produce, no matter the source.
The RESS has completed four auction rounds since it was established. delivery of RESS 2 The first of these, called RESS I, happened in 2020. This auction yielded spillover effects that will prove to be historic. Following RESS I, the second auction RESS II occurred in 2022. It yielded promising results that pointed to the growing demand and readiness within the sector.
In spring 2023, RESS III was carried out, with provisional results becoming available just a short time after. These auctions indicate a wave of new interest across the stakeholder spectrum. No less important, they point to Ireland’s fierce ambition to grow its renewable energy base. That momentum continued into 2024 with RESS IV. Though still provisional and subject to validation, the results are inarguably promising and illustrate ongoing progress in the country’s renewable energy transition.
The Role of Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme
Ireland has adopted the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) to realize the potential of offshore wind power. This initiative broadens the focus of the popular onboard initiatives to include onshore efforts. In 2023, the first ORESS I auction was held, a major breakthrough in the effort to diversify the country’s renewable energy sources.
The ORESS directly promotes investment in large-scale offshore wind projects. These projects are absolutely necessary for Ireland to decarbonize in line with its ambitious climate targets. The provisional results from the first ORESS I auction indicate considerable interest in offshore projects. These projects promise tremendous progress in curbing greenhouse gas emissions and improving our nation’s energy independence.
As Ireland looks ahead, how the country incorporates this new development of offshore wind energy into its larger energy picture will be key. The ORESS also builds greatly on existing programs such as the RESS. Aside from the environmental benefits, it has positioned Ireland to compete successfully in the new global renewable energy market.
Energy and Emission Targets Under NECP
Ireland’s NECP sets binding energy and emission reduction targets for the close of the decade heading into 2030. These targets reflect a commitment to transform energy generation to cleaner technologies while maintaining energy security and economic feasibility. The NECP is the roadmap towards the sustainable future we need and that all countries promised to pursue, requiring national policies to be in alignment with European Union directives.
These goals, as reflected in the NECP, are ambitious. It sets a goal of doubling clean renewable electricity generation and cutting the state’s carbon emissions in half. Hitting these ambitious targets will take coordinated action of all levels of government, rail operating private capital, and engagement by local communities to be sure. The ultimate goal of these changes to this recently-released version of the Renewable Energy Policy Handbook is to make that highly collaborative process easier.
The ongoing implementation of these RESS and ORESS auctions is a key part of Ireland’s plan to achieve these NECP targets. Every accomplished auction phase increases the amount of capacity to generate energy. Beyond environmental justice, it fosters job creation and sparks economic growth in the renewable sector.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Renewable Energy in Ireland
To meet ambitious targets for 2030, Ireland will need to regularly reassess and improve its execution of renewable energy policies. This iterative process will be key to their success. The provisional results from RESS and ORESS auctions will guide future policies and investments in renewable technologies.
The Administration should follow-through on ensuring that challenges like grid integration, storage solutions, and community engagement in renewable projects continue to be key priorities for the federal government. By addressing these problems now, Ireland can guarantee a more flexible and stronger energy system for the future.
Ireland’s development of its renewable energy agenda will go hand-in-hand with greater international coordination and sharing of best practices. Indeed, countries across the globe are working towards these same goals. Ireland’s experiences provide useful insight for others beginning their own renewable journeys.