Ireland’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS): Where we’re at and what’s next
Ireland’s fifth Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction (RESS 5) results have just been published and with the current EU State Aid approval for the scheme set to expire at the end of 2025, now’s a good time to reflect on what comes next for RESS.
So, what is RESS?
The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is a government initiative designed to accelerate the shift to renewable electricity in Ireland through competitive auctions. Renewable energy projects bid for contracts to supply electricity at a fixed price, providing developers with revenue stability.
RESS has been a key driver in Ireland’s push for renewable electricity, helping us move toward the ambitious target of generating 80% of electricity from renewables, such as wind and solar, by 2030. It’s also been a part of Ireland aligning with EU decarbonisation goals.
RESS was built around three main goals:
Cost effectiveness: competitive auctions aimed at delivering value for money.
Price certainty for developers: long-term revenue stability to make projects bankable and reduce financial risk.
Community benefit: every project contributes to local community benefit funds and is based on community participation.
How’s it gone so far?
Here’s a quick look at the auction results to date:
RESS-1 (2020): Locked in ~1.3 GW of projects.
RESS-2 (2022): Contracted 1.9 GW, mostly solar.
RESS-3 (2023): Had lower participation but secured 646 MW.
RESS-4 (2024): 1.3 GW of contracts were offered.
RESS-5 (2025): The latest round offering contracts to 1.07 GW.
While RESS has awarded over 6 GW of renewable electricity contracts to date, the road hasn’t been entirely smooth. Several challenges have emerged that could shape the future of the scheme and its ability to deliver on Ireland’s energy goals.
One of these being delivery risk. Not all projects awarded contracts under RESS have progressed to delivery. Some developers have found their projects no longer financially viable after the auction, largely due to rising supply chain costs. This raises important questions about whether the scheme remains fit for purpose in today’s more volatile electricity market.
Even for projects that are feasible and ready for development, grid connection and planning approval delays are still major hurdles. These bottlenecks can severely impact timelines and continue to pose challenges to delivery.
Challenges like these don’t diminish what RESS has achieved to date. They do, however, highlight the need for thoughtful adjustments as Ireland looks ahead to the next phase of its Net Zero journey.
From 30 December 2025, future auctions must include non-price criteria to comply with the EU Net-Zero Industry Act. New pre-qualification criteria must demonstrate Responsible Business Conduct, Cybersecurity and an Ability to Deliver. The intention is that projects unable to withstand market shifts will no longer be able to secure contracts. This removes them from the queue and ensures only the strongest projects are included.
Key Benefits
One of the standout features of RESS to date is its community benefit model. Every project pays €2 per megawatt hour into a local fund, supporting local initiatives, such as sports clubs and home energy upgrades. It’s a tangible way for communities to share the benefits of renewable energy projects in their local area.
What’s next?
Looking ahead to a possible RESS 6, or even a successor with a new name, there are a few key priorities on the table. First, the next phase needs to address delivery risk, and community benefit measures should remain strong and meaningful.
The scheme must also strike a careful balance between keeping investor confidence high while protecting consumers from unpredictable costs in the electricity market. In short, strategic tools like RESS must be more than a funding mechanism, they need to secure Ireland’s energy future, whilst building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable economy.