Onshore RESS 2 is Complete

Onshore RESS 2 is complete. Offshore RESS 1 later this year.

Now that we have completed the process for RESS 2 what does the picture look like for the Irish solar industry? Here’s a snapshot.

Total Deemed Energy Quantity approved in this round is 2,747.89 GWh of which solar energy is 1,478.26 GWh. The full set of results can be found here.

In simpler language, just under 1.95 GW of new renewables projects will be supported under this round of RESS-2.

Some of the winners from this process have been Amarenco Solar, BNRG, ESB Solar (Ireland) Ltd, Bord Na Mona and Statkraft Ireland Ltd.

There were also a number of community based projects all under 5 MW which will receive state support through this process.

Solar Farm Projects supported under RESS-2

Counties that will have solar farm projects supported under RESS-2 include Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Kildare, Kilkenny, Offaly, Laois, Roscommon, Meath, Galway and Wicklow.

Among the largest being developed currently is Ballyroe in Co Cork (120 MW), Ballymoneen Solar Farm in Co Galway (100 MW) and Clonfad Solar Farm, Co Westmeath (100 MW). Rathnaskillogue, near Stradbally in Co Waterford will also see the development of a 95 MW solar farm supported by RESS-2.

Statkraft Ireland will be developing another 200 MW of solar PV with the supports offered under RESS-2. Their portfolio includes Clonfad Solar Farm (100 MW) and also Loughteague Solar Farm (80 MW) alongside various other locations.

Highfield Solar will develop a further four projects totalling almost 270 MW, and located at Gaskinstown (80 MW), North Arklow (47.11 MW), Rathnaskillogue (95 MW) and Clonin (47 MW).

Bord na Mona will proceed with their Timahoe North Solar Farm Phase 1 (70 MW).

ESB Solar (Ireland) Ltd will proceed with several of their projects including Middleton (56.6 MW), Ballyenaghty (9.9 MW), Shantallow (35 MW), and Drombeg (50 MW).

Other winners include BNRG and Amarenco Solar who have several smaller developments around Cork including Currabeha, Beanhill South, Farran South, Leacht Cross and Kilcannon.

The Future of Energy is Solar

At a time when the Bundestag recently increased their ambitions to 400 GigaWatts of solar power by 2040, Ireland should be considering somewhere in the region of 10 GW … just to keep pace.

Eventually it will come to pass, and while the 80 solar projects being progressed with the help of RESS-2 are welcomed, we hope to see bigger and better things being deployed for our future energy portfolio.