REFIT is an acronym for renewable energy feed-in tariff. It was the Irish government’s subsidy scheme for renewable energy but closed to applications at the end of 2015, to be replaced by RESS in 2019.
The REFIT schemes were designed to provide certainty to renewable electricity generators by providing them with a minimum price for each unit of electricity exported to the grid over a 15 year period. The first scheme ran until the end of 2009, the second ran from 2012 to 2015 and the third was specifically for bioenergy schemes. It ended in 2015. The schemes are funded by the Public Service Obligation, paid for by all electricity consumers. Ireland’s aim is 40% of electricity coming from renewable sources by 2020.