The regulator has already said yes. Now we need it to happen, fast.
Imagine generating clean electricity, only to throw it away.
That is happening in Ireland today. Wind and solar farms are regularly told to stop producing electricity because the grid cannot take any more power at that moment. The turbines are turning, the sun is shining, but the electricity has nowhere to go and is lost.
There is an obvious solution
If a battery is installed alongside a wind or solar farm, surplus electricity can be stored and used later, when demand is higher or renewable generation is lower. Instead of wasting clean energy, we can save it for when it is needed most.
The problem
Until recently, developers wanting to add a battery beside an existing wind or solar farm faced a major hurdle.
Even though the battery would be located on the same site, they were required to build a completely separate grid connection. That meant installing a second cable, often along almost exactly the same route, adding unnecessary cost, delay and disruption.
The good news
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has decided that renewable energy projects and batteries on the same site will be allowed to share a single grid connection.
This is a sensible change that will help to:
- Reduce costs;
- Minimise disruption;
- And support battery storage alongside renewable generation.
Allowing a wind farm or solar farm and a battery to share the same grid connection is a positive step. It means batteries can be developed more efficiently and at a lower cost because developers no longer need to build a completely separate connection to the grid.
On its own, however, this change is unlikely to unlock the full benefits that consumers could see from more integrated renewable energy and battery projects. The real value lies in what it makes possible next. Shared grid connections are an essential first step towards enabling batteries and renewable energy projects to work much more closely together.
Put simply, it is the right decision.
The bad news
While the decision has been made, implementing it could still take more than two years.
This is why we need your help. We need this to happen much faster because if we can share grid connections, it allows us to do something even more valuable, to connect the wind farm or solar farm to the battery.
That is the change that can make a real difference. Once a battery and a renewable energy project can work together in this way, electricity that would otherwise be wasted can be stored and used later when homes, businesses and industry need it most.
This means the two can share the same grid connection and, when the wind or solar farm is told to switch off because the grid cannot take the power they’re producing, they can store it in the battery so we can use it later when we need it. Less waste, more clean energy, lower bills.
It’s a win, win.
Other countries have already implemented similar approaches and are benefiting from lower emissions and a more efficient electricity system. Ireland should move much faster.
What we’re asking for
We are calling for:
- Faster implementation of shared grid connections for co-located wind, solar and battery projects.
- A delivery timeline of 9 to 12 months, rather than more than two years.
- Progress on true hybrid connections, allowing renewable generators to connect directly to batteries so that electricity can be stored instead of curtailed.
These are practical changes that can help make our electricity system more efficient, reduce waste and support Ireland’s transition to clean energy.
Take action
The most effective thing you can do right now is contact your local TD and ask them to support faster delivery of these changes.
It takes just two minutes, but together we can help ensure Ireland makes better use of the renewable electricity it is already generating.
Together, we can Build Our Grid.