Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Ireland’s Climate Action Plans recognise the need for a range of cross-government policies to enable the transformation of the electricity sector, such that it can become more adaptable and flexible, in response to the ever-increasing volume of distributed renewable energy sources on the grid.

The underlying issue raised by this question is the "dispatch-down" of renewable energy, which refers to the amount of renewable energy that is available but cannot be used by the electricity system. This can be due to broad power system limitations, known as curtailments, local network limitations, known as constraints, or energy supply exceeding consumer demand at a particular time. Dispatch-down is unfortunate and EirGrid are addressing the grid limitations that cause it through various measures under its “Shaping Our Electricity Future” roadmap. Dispatch-down can be minimised by the adoption of demand-side response measures and greater levels of interconnection and electricity storage systems.

It is also recognised that Ireland’s citizens and communities can play a central role in this transition, by flexibly managing their energy assets; in response to the level of renewable energy on the grid and in doing so, they can also lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint. Consequently, Ireland’s Energy Security Package commits Government to improving the ways that homes and businesses can manage their energy use by providing an evidence-based programme of communications and supporting ‘active consumers’ through smart metering and smart energy services and technologies. These services will enable consumers, including those in energy poverty, to flexibly adjust their demand in response to market signals and the changing level of renewable energy available.

A consultation to inform the development of a revised Energy Poverty Action Plan was published on gov.ie on 13th March 2024 and is currently open for submissions. The revised Plan will set out a wide range of clear, timebound actions aimed at tackling energy poverty with appropriate governance and evaluation, and will consider the use of smart technologies, such as those utilised by EnergyCloud and other Smart Energy service providers, in order to benefit energy poor households and other vulnerable citizens.