Ireland could install nearly 4GW of solar by 2030, adding more than €2 billion to its economy and creating more than 7,000 jobs, with modest policy support, a new report produced by KPMG has claimed.
An announcement from Ireland’s energy authority on future renewable energy subsidies is set to be made before the end of the year however KPMG’s ‘A Brighter Future’ report outlines what could be achieved.
The report has been produced on behalf of the Irish Solar Energy Association and claims that 3.7GW of solar could be deployed by 2030 across utility, commercial and residential sectors should support be extended to the technology.
For Ireland to meet a target of generating 40% of its electricity demand from renewables sources by 2030 an extra 6TWh of renewable electricity will be required annually. Half of that is expected to come from wind, and the report outlines how the remaining half could be met with solar.
It calls on Ireland’s government to introduce a feed-in tariff scheme for both domestic and commercial rooftop installations while opening up a Contracts for Difference-styled capacity auction for large-scale projects.
It has suggested an opening feed-in tariff rate for domestic installations of €0.13/kWh to come into effect in 2017, as well as an undetermined export tariff. This rate would fall to €0.06/kWh by 2023 and €0.02/kWh in 2030.