Date: 21 Nov 2022
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications launches consultation
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has opened a consultation on electricity storage. The aim of this consultation is to gather the views of all interested parties to inform the development of a new electricity storage policy for Ireland.
As the electricity system evolves to accommodate greater levels of renewable generation, the need for low carbon technologies to support the energy transition increases. Flexibility, the ability to shift energy consumption or generation in time or location to help balance supply and demand, will be critical. Electricity storage, which entails capturing energy produced at one time for future use, provides an essential form of low carbon flexibility and will be an integral component of an electricity sector with high renewable penetration.
Electricity storage encompasses many different technologies – of various sizes, locations and durations – across the entire electricity system. It has many critical functions, which include:
- Supporting the integration of high volumes of renewable generation
- Providing critical system services needed to manage a low-carbon electricity system
- Supporting security of supply by storing energy during times of excess supply and releasing it back to the grid when the system needs it most
- Providing significant cost savings to electricity consumers
Storage will be vital in helping to meet our Climate Action Plan objectives of increasing the proportion of renewable electricity to up to 80% by 2030 and ultimately in decarbonising the electricity system.
While it is widely accepted that increased levels of electricity storage will be essential in supporting the energy transition, evidence suggests that its benefits are not yet fully understood and that it faces barriers to deployment.
Government are developing a policy framework to deliver our objectives in this area as part of the Climate Action Plan. The aim of this consultation is to gather stakeholder feedback to consolidate our understanding of the role of electricity storage in Ireland, as well as the challenges it must overcome and the opportunities it presents. The responses will help inform the design and delivery of an electricity storage policy framework which will be launched next year.
Full details of the consultation can be viewed on the department's website. Submissions close 27 January 2023.