The results of Ireland’s sixth Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS 6) are due to be announced on December 2. Leanne Donovan, Solar Ireland’s policy manager, told pv magazine that “cost competitiveness will remain the dominant factor” even with the new pricing framework.
Ireland’s solar sector is preparing for a significant test under the country’s sixth Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction (RESS 6), which introduces new EU-driven criteria alongside the traditional focus on price.
“We expect solar to compete strongly in RESS 6,” Leanne Donovan, Policy Manager, Solar Ireland, told pv magazine, as Ireland’s solar industry prepares for the government-run sixth renewable energy auction (RESS 6) process.
RESS 6 is the first Irish auction to incorporate the European Union’s Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) rules around pricing. Since December 2025, Article 26 of the NZIA requires Member States to apply non-price criteria in renewable energy auctions to boost competitiveness while also promoting the integration of renewable resources into national grids.
Under Ireland’s interpretation of these rules, price accounts for 85% of the overall score, with the remainder allocated non-price criteria.
