Fast Response Technology Key to Meet Renewable Targets
Ireland’s ambitious renewable energy targets cannot be achieved by building more renewable generation alone. Simultaneous investment in additional, new technologies that deliver the flexibility required for the power system to effectively utilise this increasing amount of non-synchronous renewable resources is critical.
These investments are stimulated by the DS3 System Services commercial arrangements, which came into operation in May 2018. This has so far enabled the transmission system operator, EirGrid, to accommodate up to 65% non-synchronised renewable energy on the grid at any one time. This capability saw Ireland generate 41.2% of its electricity from renewable energy, predominantly from wind, for the first five months of 2020.
With the current commercial arrangements set to expire in April 2023, the SEM Committee (SEMC), yesterday published its proposal to address the extension of the commercial arrangements that underpin the grid services that enable greater adoption of renewable energy. – https://bit.ly/32dnDgv.
With an ambitious target of achieving 70% electricity consumption from renewable energy by 2030, the proposed arrangements will be crucial in enabling the fast-responding technologies and services required to accelerate the power system transformation in Ireland.
