“We owe it to future generations to get this right” was the message from Eddie O’Connor in the Irish Embassy for the Berlin launch of his book Supergrid Super Solution: The key to solving the energy crisis and decarbonising Europe. The book is the encapsulation of a big idea that solves the energy crisis and decarbonises Europe through unprecedented collaboration between countries. It is the trigger for transformational change in generating clean energy at a scale never seen before.
The central concept of the book is the introduction of a supergrid, a continent-wide meshed set of cables that will complement or replace individual national electricity supply networks. To facilitate this supergrid, the development of next generation superconducting cable technology is crucial. O’Connor is the founder of SuperNode, which is developing the technology, which will allow green electricity to be shared across grids at a fraction of the cost of existing copper cables.
The book was launched at a reception in the embassy on 23 November by Minister for Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport, Eamon Ryan T.D., who listed his dream energy team with Eddie O’Connor as the star centre forward. Co-author Kevin O’Sullivan also made the starting line up as a skilful winger.
The Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Stefan Wenzel, was also in attendance and he stressed the urgent need for political cooperation to secure funding to fasttrack the supergrid project.
Connecting Europe’s northern windfarms – especially offshore in the Atlantic – with its southern solar PV capacity around the Mediterranean via this Supergrid will cost in excess of €900 billion yet can generate a payback within 7.8 years, according to new analysis in Supergrid – Super Solution. Harnessing the abundance of renewable energy, particular off the west coast of Ireland, and distributing it across Europe via the Supergrid is a radical solution bringing energy security and ending wildly fluctuating fossil fuel prices across the Continent, it concludes.
The event concluded with a panel discussion, moderated by Kira Taylor, Energy and Climate reporter. The topics discussed included ending Europe’s dependence on fossil fuel,the need for new grid technology and the ongoing need for political cooperation.
What others say about the book:
“We stand on the cusp of the deepest, fastest energy transformation in human history.”
Pat Cox, former European Parliament President
“This book marries aspiration of clean energy and hard facts.” Andris Piebalgs, former European Commissioner for Energy
“An exciting volume – none of this is easy, but some of it is simple and utterly necessary.”
Bill McKibben Environmentalist
The book is available from SupergridSuperSolution.com and good book shops online and offline. The Press Pack can be downloaded from SupergridSuperSolution.com . This also includes this news release, a 2-page summary of the book, the book cover, photos of the authors and a 16-page summary of the book’s key points.
Further information or to arrange an interview with Eddie O’Connor and Kevin O’Sullivan contact:
Alec McAllister t: 00353879798576 e: alec.mccallister@supernode.energy
Publishers Orpen Press ISBN 978-1-78605-187-5 204 pages RRP €19.99 / £17.99 / $21