John Fitzgerald, CEO
Chris Horn writes to the Irish Times that “just keeping the light on is becoming our top national imperative”. This is due in large part to the ever increasing electricity demand of data centres, the electrification of our heating and transport sectors and the variability of renewable energy. His analysis of the problem is accurate as is his solution. He calls for urgent innovation so that Ireland can resolve its own struggles.
Within his argument, though, lies a false assumption. He ascribes to the common misconception that any electricity consumed in Ireland must be produced in Ireland. He notes the fact that for numerous periods this summer and autumn, renewable energy only met a few percent of national electricity demand.
Ireland is rich in wind energy and is in fact a world leader in total electricity share from wind energy at 35% with a target to reach 70% by 2030. He is right that it is variable and cannot be relied upon at all times, but we will not have to rely upon it at all times.
Ireland is an island but we do not have to be an energy island. Ireland will be connected to a European energy system, importing and exporting electricity in times of need via interconnectors to the UK and the continent. When Irish production is low, we get supplied by our European partners and when Irish production is high we become the supplier. Importantly, we should on average produce way more electricity than we consume so that Ireland can capitalise on its abundant offshore wind resource.
Eamon Ryan was right in his address to Wind Energy Ireland’s (WEI) offshore conference on 22nd September, when he said:
“Due to our location at the edge of the Atlantic, with a sea area of 490,000 square kilometres – almost seven times our land mass – we have considerable but as yet undeveloped offshore renewable energy potential. As technologies develop, Ireland has the resource potential to become a major contributor in a pan-European renewable energy and transmission system change”
Chris Horn’s call for urgent innovation is the way forward, in storage as he suggests as well as in transmission infrastructure that can more efficiently connect Ireland to the energy systems of Europe and balance out the intermittency of renewable energy.