Informing local communities about the future development of the electricity grid

EirGrid has embarked on a year-long series of citizens roadshow events aimed at informing local communities on how the organisation plans to future-proof the electricity grid as well as providing information about microgeneration, home energy upgrades and retrofitting grants, and regional development issues.

The first events were held last month with two in Donegal and one Sligo. Further events are planned for Wicklow and Kildare in the autumn.

The roadshows follow on from last year’s Shaping Our Electricity Future consultation programme during which EirGrid sought views and inputs from all sectors of society and industry about grid development.

“Transforming the grid is necessary to meet the Government target of 80 per cent of electricity consumption coming from renewable sources, such as wind and solar, by 2030,” says EirGrid head of public engagement Sinead Dooley. “To do this we need to add more energy from renewable sources to the power system over the next eight years. This involves developing 40 new electricity grid infrastructure projects, representing a total investment of over €1 billion over that period.”

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That consultation process was very successful but highlighted a number of issues which deserved further examination. “We hosted a large number of webinars, workshops and so on, and there was huge interest from communities and citizens around the country,” says Dooley. “People wanted to know how they could get involved in the energy transition. But they also had questions about things like cheaper electricity from microgeneration.”

But microgeneration does not fall within EirGrid’s remit, responsibility for that rests with ESB Networks. “But it’s not good enough for us to advise people to ask ESB Networks about it or point them towards a website. It was in that vein that we came to establish the EirGrid Energy Citizens Roadshow events which have all the key stakeholders at the table. We have ESB Networks and SEAI on board for the events. There is huge interest in grants for insulation and energy efficiency as well.”

Balanced regional development is also addressed. “We involved the Western Development Commission in the events in Donegal and Sligo. In other events we might bring in local area partnership groups and so on. In Donegal we brought in a local credit union to discuss its low interest rate loan initiative for retrofitting. Other organisations are getting involved too. The IFA has supported it and Teagasc has done so as well. We are bringing in businesses and contractors too.

“Each event is almost a one-stop shop where people can get all the information they need. We have question and answer sessions with the partners and the debate has been quite robust. It’s all about awareness and providing people with information. Get people to ask questions and that opens up the discussion.”

Interest has been very strong. “We had more than 130 people registered for the Sligo event on the longest day of the year,” says Dooley. “From EirGrid’s point of view we want to highlight the future energy needs of the local area and the region, the need to future proof the grid and what we are doing about it. We are trying to explain how the electricity market is made up and demystify it. We are explaining the different roles played by the different organisations.”

Microgeneration is one area that requires explanation. “People with their own renewable energy source will hopefully be able to sell electricity back to the grid from this summer. But that will be done through the electricity provider. The smart meter calculates what is sold back and takes it off the bill. One of the questions that came up related to the tariffs for electricity sold back to the grid. It may not be a fixed rate. It’s a competitive market and there will be flexible tariffs. Suppliers may offer different rates. There is a lot of complexity there and it is good to explain it in advance.”

That’s one example of an information gap which the roadshow series aims to fill. “It’s about working collaboratively with organisations like ESB Networks and SEAI to join the dots and take the bureaucracy out of it. The feedback is that people are finding the events informative and worthwhile.”

It was initially planned to focus on regions but that is now changing. “The first few events have been so successful that we will probably end up going to every county in the country. We already have people asking us to hold events in their counties. If people or community organisations want us to hold a roadshow event in their county, they should reach out to us.”

Eigrid.ie