Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 7, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “Energy Storage System

12.The Minister shall, within twelve months of the passing of this Act, produce a report detailing how Ireland shall adapt a grid-connected battery designed to increase grid stability under adverse weather conditions and energy shortages or outages similar to the Hornsdale Power Reserve Australia grid-connected energy storage system.”.

This is the sixth amendment out of seven. As amendment No. 7 has been ruled out of order, this is the last amendment. None of the amendments have been accepted so far. I do not know what that means for this amendment but in any case I will get to the point quickly. I ask that the following be inserted on page 7, after lines 25:

The Minister shall, within twelve months of the passing of this Act, produce a report detailing how Ireland shall adapt a grid-connected battery designed to increase grid stability under adverse weather conditions and energy shortages or outages similar to the Hornsdale Power Reserve Australia grid-connected energy storage system.

To keep my contribution short and stop me wandering off, I have prepared a few thoughts on the rationale for the amendment and conscious of how progressive Australia is in this regard. It is using giant batteries, which the Minister of State will be familiar with, that pull energy from the grid at off-peak times, store it and push it back into the grid at peak times. This would be a much better way to proceed given it could use renewable energy as opposed to the carbon-based fuels we hear so much about and on which the Minister's solution relies, with his recently announced new fleet of jet engines.

The Hornsdale battery concept is the most sustainable and ecologically friendly solution. It would never have to be decommissioned unlike the turbines that run on the fossil fuels we hear so much about. The battery would aim to prevent backlogs during a period of network instability by providing grid support services, capturing and storing excess energy from sources such as wind farms and feeding into the grid during peak times or periods of outages.

As I said, the Minister last week announced that a fleet of jet engines will be bought to add power to the country's energy supply if outages loom. I understand the Minister has said he hopes some of the €350 million it will cost to purchase these turbines might be recouped by their onward sale. That is an interesting comment.

That is the rationale behind the amendment. I am interested to hear the Minister of State's considered response.