The Irish government has launched a Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), which will provide support to renewable electricity projects in Ireland. The RESS is an auction-based scheme to bid for capacity and receive a guaranteed price for the electricity generated by renewable energy. The objective of the scheme is as follows:

• An Enabling Framework for Community Participation through the provision of pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects
• Increasing Technology Diversity by broadening the renewable electricity technology mix (the diversity of technologies)
• Delivering an ambitious renewable electricity policy to 2030
• increasing energy security, energy sustainability and ensuring the cost-effectiveness of energy policy

The first auction of RESS is scheduled in early 2020 and it aims to deliver a 3,000GWh increase in renewable electricity generation by the end of 2022. The Scheme will provide for a renewable electricity (RES-E) ambition of up to 70% by 2030, subject to determining the cost-effective level which will be set out in the draft National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). RESS auctions will be designed in line with trajectory targets identified in Ireland's NECP.

The scheme is subject to EU state aid approval.