Results 1-20 of 1,043,528 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Steven Matthews OR speaker:Brian Leddin OR speaker:Peter Burke)

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Brian Leddin: The purpose of the meeting today is to discuss long-duration energy storage. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the following witnesses to the meeting: Mr. Bobby Smith, head of Energy Storage Ireland; Mr. Brian Kennedy, chairperson and head of client origination at ElectroRoute; and Mr. Paul Blount, portfolio director with FuturEnergy Ireland and chair of Energy Storage Ireland's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Brian Leddin: I thank Mr. Smith. The first member indicating is Deputy Bruton.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I am not a member of this committee but I was briefly listening in because I am interested in this area. If I repeat questions or if something has been covered already, please accept my apologies. Mr. Smith provided a good synopsis at the end. What I am trying to figure out is that we have this good battery storage system that we know can provide back-up when we get drops in supply or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I am just interested to find out what the process actually looks like from generation to transmission.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: It is a similar process to other batteries but in this case using iron to create that potential and generate electricity. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: It is fascinating. The technology has probably been known for a long time but it now has the potential to be used commercially. Given that the technology changes so quickly, is it difficult to get State-led investment? What I mean is that this is a signal to investors that this is the direction in which the country is going. Do people hold back because things may change in two or three...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Did Mr. Smith refer to 2 GW of long duration storage by 2030? How much short duration storage will there be by 2030?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: We touched on the hybrid model. In the case of a generating station currently correcting to the grid, it probably makes a lot of sense to install whatever energy generation we are going to use, whether it is battery, hydrogen or whatever. That probably addresses planning issues because there is no change of use, but rather some modification. In terms of battery, is it prudent technology...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: It depends on what we are trying to use that stored energy for. If there is a catastrophic fault situation, we will pull down that supply very quickly because it will be absorbed while people are trying to get a plant back online. If there is a drop in renewables or solar drops off and we bring in Turlough Hill power station or whatever else, we will still need that storage. There are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Is pumped storage just a technology of the past? I like it. It is very reliable. It has worked for 50 years up there and is still chucking out power every morning and evening. It is proven technology. It is gravity-fed. You are not going to break that. Is pumped storage an old technology despite having delivered?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I have one last question if we have time. I know we are talking about large-scale, long-duration storage. I want to look at a much smaller version of it, a short term and almost individual version in the electric vehicle market. As the number of electrical vehicles increases and in businesses, you have these 80 kW, or possibly 100 kW, batteries sitting in the driveway. There is a massive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: When Mr. Kennedy charges his vehicle, is his decision based on when the cheapest rate is or is that decided by his smart tariff?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: There is no way to turn that around at the moment so that I can use my vehicle’s charge if it is sitting there, I am working from home for the next two days and the sun is shining. Is that approach available to us currently?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: Is the domestic user in Ireland able to use the battery in a car to power a home?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: I do not know either. I am just wondering.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Steven Matthews: That capital investment surely gets comfort from knowing that, as we have set out in Ireland, there is huge investment into electrifying transport like bus and rail. There are mandates there. There are heat pumps for heating houses too. The demand for that product will always be there. Knowing your service will be required surely provides comfort for that high level of up-front capital...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Brian Leddin: Deputy Matthews saw his opportunity and took it. Meanwhile Deputy Devlin has been waiting patiently.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Brian Leddin: I thank the Deputy. A lot of my questions have been addressed at this point. I am curious about the role of renewable developers and operators in the development of long-duration storage. Obviously, there is an incentive there, for anyone who is in that space, to be able to send the power somewhere to put it back into the grid at a later date. Does Energy Storage Ireland have members who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Brian Leddin: Very briefly. I am mindful Senator Higgins has arrived and I am sure she has questions, and we need to finish the meeting shortly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Long-Duration Energy Storage: Discussion (25 Jun 2024)

Brian Leddin: I thank Mr. Smith. The next time we invite in representatives of the CRU, we will put this on the agenda. I hope that will be sooner rather than later. I call Senator Higgins.