High grid connection costs resulted in a solar strike price in Ireland’s first Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction “significantly higher than anywhere else in Europe” according to the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA).
Norwegian state-owned power giant Statkraft has scooped up the largest contract in Ireland’s first Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), with two solar farms totaling 276MWp coming out successful alongside 57MW of onshore wind.
Following the approval of Cleve Hill Solar Park, Solar Power Portal takes a look at what the next steps are for the project, any technology concerns and whether this will be the first of many Nationally Significant solar infrastructure projects.
The government needs to “go even further with enabling measures” such as public sector PPAs in order to accelerate solar deployment to help meet net zero.
The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme should be expanded, the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has recommended, with “clarity on dates and scales” required.
Solar Power Portal caught up with Chris Banks, UK business development manager at Solarcentury, about its new 62MW Welsh site, why now was the right time to return to the UK market and the rise of subsidy-free developments.
