Mr. John Melvin:

There are several aspects to that question and I will try to address them all. At present, it is difficult to dispatch batteries. Senator Boylan asked me about this on the previous occasion I was here. The TSO now has in its programme the next round of IT upgrades to facilitate the easier dispatch of batteries, which should facilitate both the battery industry itself and the delivery of low-carbon electricity using batteries.

Regarding the demand-side industry, we appeared before the committee alongside EirGrid in August, after which we had engagement from the demand-side industry. Following that committee meeting, we hosted the demand representatives, the Demand Response Association of Ireland, DRAI, in our offices with EirGrid. We have had good engagement with them since then. The SEMC made the decision to allow them energy payments, which should increase the incentive for those industries to respond. I believe that was a key criticism of that industry at the time. On demand response, we made a decision which now must be implemented by EirGrid. We have hosted the industry to understand its concerns better. On the battery side, it is in the work plan. It will be 2024 before that download of the IT infrastructure is available to facilitate greater access and use for batteries from the system. When I spoke earlier, I said 150 MW of existing generation might go and is scheduled to close in 2023. I think it is closer to 210 MW but the broad thrust of my earlier answer stands.