Renewable sources provided a third of the Republic of Ireland’s electricity in June, according to provisional data from grid operator EirGrid.
The amount of energy generated from grid-scale solar hit 110GWh last month, representing 4.4% of electricity demand and a new high for the country, which is officially known as Ireland.
However, as this figure only factors in grid-scale solar developments, the actual solar generation figure for Ireland is likely much higher, as 94,000 Irish homes are equipped with solar panels, representing 373MW of capacity, according to the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA).
Meanwhile, a quarter of demand was covered by windfarms, the third-highest figure recorded for June with a total generation of 635GWh. The remainder of the one-third renewables figure came from hydropower and biomass.
Charlie McGee, system operational manager at EirGrid, said: “Solar generation is naturally always strongest during the summer but this June saw a particularly high output, with solar playing an increasingly important part in our efforts to get more renewable electricity onto the system.
“June was also another strong month for wind energy, and this is now the third time that wind generation has passed the 600 GWh mark in the month of June even as wind speeds drop during the summer months. This is because more generation capacity is coming onto the system.”
Eirgrid is responsible for the grid in Northern Ireland too via a separate, independent entity, and these figures only refer to the Republic of Ireland.
The future of the Emerald Isle
The Irish government has set targets for 80% of Ireland’s power to come from renewable sources by 2030, a long way off from June’s 33.53% figure.
Along with a major uptick in the number of renewable energy projects in the country, the Irish grid needs to make significant infrastructure improvements. Currently, Ireland’s electricity grid can accommodate a maximum of 75% of electricity from renewable sources at any one time, a measure known as the system non-synchronous penetration (SNSP) limit. EirGrid says it is aiming to further increase the SNSP limit.
The creation of battery energy storage projects is often seen as a key part of hastening the transition to a cleaner power grid, granting greater flexibility to electric systems as they work to improve grid infrastructure. Concerningly, recent research by Cornwall Insight has revealed significant threats to Ireland’s future in this regard, noting a “policy vacuum” in long-duration energy storage (LDES) that could jeopardise Ireland’s chances of meeting its 2030 goal. In order to meet the nation’s 2030 targets, Cornwall Insight estimates that LDES capacity will need to reach 2.4GW; at present, Ireland has only 0.29GW of LDES capacity, from a single facility.
However, Ireland is increasingly looking beyond its shores to boost its green credentials. In May this year, government ministers from Ireland, Belgium and the UK signed a joint statement to boost cooperation on offshore wind and interconnection. The three nations will establish a working group to create a report on the challenges, opportunities and solutions to developing offshore wind, with the aim of speeding up development in this arena.
Within Ireland, cooperation is also being explored as an avenue to increase the presence of offshore wind power on the Irish grid. Energy supplier Bord Gáis Energy and offshore wind developer Corio Generation recently made an agreement to collaborate on opportunities to supply the Irish electricity market with power from offshore wind, including from Corio’s 450MW Sceridie Rocks wind farm, currently in development off the west coast of Ireland. Speaking at the time, Jonathan Cole, CEO of Corio Generation, said: “With its extensive coastline, abundant natural resources, and a clear and ambitious government strategy, Ireland is exceptionally well-placed to expand its offshore wind capabilities and enjoy the many benefits this could bring, from greener and more reliable energy to widespread economic investment and community gain.”
