A policy vacuum on long-term storage threatens the development of Irish renewables

The report, written in partnership with the Climate Change Advisory Council, warns that barriers to storage development could slow the transition to renewables and that LDES is an essential part of Ireland’s path to net zero emissions.

EirGrid has estimated that to meet Ireland’s ambitious target of 80 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, LDES capacity will need to reach ~2.4 GW. There is currently just 0.29 GW of LDES on the Irish grid, all of which comes from the pumped storage (PSH) facility operating at Turlough Hill. A further 0.36 GW of PSH is planned at Silvermines in Tipperary.

A new report titled ‘Review of the implementation of long-term energy storage in the electricity sector in Ireland’ warns that without increasing the pace of LDES deployment, Ireland may fall short of its 2030 renewable energy target because it relies on energy storage and other flexible technologies providing the necessary support for intermittent renewable sources.

Implementing LDES technology poses many challenges. The high capital costs of LDES mean they need as much income certainty as possible, which is hampered by the lack of clear policy. In many cases, LDES cannot fully participate in existing revenue streams due to regulatory constraints and market structure. Developing specific targeted revenue streams is key to unlocking the potential and meeting demand for LDES in Ireland.

The urgent need to deliver LDES is exacerbated by the expected increase in electricity consumption, with Cornwall Insight’s SEM Benchmark Power Curve showing that electricity demand in the SEM region is expected to more than double by 2050, from ~35 TWh in ~44 TWh in the early 2030s and almost 74 TWh by 2050. This is due to both an increase in demand from existing sources such as residential, commercial and industrial buildings, as well as new sources such as electric vehicle charging, heat , electrolysis and carbon dioxide capture technologies.

“The growth of long-term energy storage in Ireland is slow at best and downright weak at worst,” said Ratnottama Sengupta, senior consultant at Cornwall Insight. “As Ireland progresses towards a renewables-dominated electricity system, flexibility such as long-term energy storage will be key to making our electricity system more resilient and secure when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. SEM is currently missing a key piece of the sustainable energy puzzle. Although some efforts are being made to acquire LDES across EirGrid and ESB networks, there is a lack of consistency and it is a slow process. We need to see government take a more active role in developing policy, increasing transparency and providing incentives for the construction of storage facilities. Without these changes, Ireland risks failing to meet its renewable energy targets.”

Additional information:

Cornish look

“Review of the implementation of long-term energy storage in the electricity sector in Ireland” (report)