Clencree Wind Farm

Introduction - Greening the grid

Greening the grid by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels is essential for delivering effective climate action and securing Ireland’s energy independence.

Traditionally, the electricity grid system has depended on fossil fuels for electricity generation for our homes and businesses, and for keeping the grid stable. Now, as more and more renewable wind and solar power becomes available to the Irish grid, we need to ensure that we can balance the energy system by matching supply with demand.

This can be achieved through Long Duration Energy Storage – a grid services technology that helps store the excess energy generated from renewable sources. With a target of 80% renewable electricity from renewable sources by 2030, Ireland will require a significant amount of energy storage by the end of the decade.

Solar panels on grass on a sunny day

Renewable energy in Ireland

 

Forty-three per cent of our electricity came from renewable energy sources in 2020. The Government's ambition is to increase this to 80% by 2030. Effective management of the delivery of electricity through our national grid is now more important than ever. This proposal aims to facilitate our country’s transition to a low carbon society by providing zero-carbon stability services to the grid system and is being brought forward under Mayne Stability Limited which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Statkraft Ireland.

By integrating what is known as a synchronous compensator on to the electricity grid system at this location, we will reduce our reliance on the fossil fuel generators that have traditionally provided these grid stability services.

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About Statkraft

 

Statkraft is committed to delivering affordable renewable energy onto our grid system and working with communities to explore how these projects might work best in their local areas.

As Europe’s largest renewable energy producer, we have been making clean energy possible for almost 130 years and continue to lead the way towards a carbon-free future.

Statkraft has been present in Ireland since 2018 and now employs approximately 140 people across its offices in Cork and Tullamore. The Statkraft Ireland team has two decades of development experience and our staff are experts in areas such as careful site selection and environmental assessment.

As a generation, we have a unique opportunity to make a real difference in securing our own energy independence. We believe that we can deliver for the present, while safeguarding our future.