Written answers

Tuesday, 9 November 2021

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Electricity Grid

Photo of Bríd SmithBríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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179. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the cost to EirGrid of funding wind farm operators for times when there is a curtailment or dispatch is down, for example, in cases in which more electricity is produced than can be consumed at that time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54085/21]

Photo of Eamon RyanEamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The issue raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for EirGrid, the transmission system operator. Nevertheless, I am advised that EirGrid prepare an annual report outlining the levels of dispatch-down of renewable energy on the island of Ireland.

The latest such report can be found here: www.eirgridgroup.com/site-files/library/EirGrid/Annual-Renewable-Constraint-and-Curtailment-Report-2020.pdf.

This report contains information on historic dispatch down quantities dating back to 2011. As contained in this report, the dispatch-down energy from wind resources in 2020 was 1,448 GWh in Ireland. This is equivalent to 11.4% of the total available wind energy.

In order to meet Ireland's target of up to 80% renewable electricity by 2030, very high penetration of variable renewable electricity on the grid will be required. Currently EirGrid operate the power system with up to 70% of renewable power at a given time, including onshore wind and solar. By 2030, this will need to rise to 95% in real time and higher.

Increasing storage and strengthening the network will be critical to minimising the levels of renewable energy sources that are curtailed or constrained down. The Climate Action Plan 2021 includes a number of actions to address storage policy and higher levels of renewable electricity on the network.

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