Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 19 December 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Examination of the Third Report of the Citizens' Assembly (Resumed)

12:00 pm

Dr. Paul McGowan:

I will start and then pass over to Mr. Melvin. It is widely acknowledged that the DS3 programme and the delivery figure of 75% is groundbreaking internationally. Many people are looking at what we are achieving. The reality is we are at 65% and security of supply has been shown to be maintained. We have demonstrated that the system can cope with 65% and the increase to 70% and 75% will be subject to trial before it becomes transmission policy. It will require a radical change in some aspects of the generation portfolio. For example, one of the key elements we are considering is the role of batteries or fast-acting storage and discharge devices. Batteries seem to be the predominant technology in this area. DS3 is now delivering competitive auctions to bring that type of technology into the system. Next year we will run the first auctions to deliver between 90 MW and 110 MW with that type of technology. This is the sort of technology we must see on the system in order to deliver the required level of renewables penetration in the system while maintaining security.