During 2024, EirGrid connected almost 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of additional energy sources to the national grid, further securing the country’s energy supply. These new connections included wind and solar sources, as well as battery energy storage systems, interconnection and dispatchable generation.
“It was a really impressive year from a renewables standpoint,” says Jason Kenna, head of Network Projects Ireland with EirGrid. “We connected 263 megawatts (MW) of onshore wind and 197MW of solar. We also connected 184MW of battery energy storage. Battery storage is becoming a lot more popular and that is great to see.”
Some 346MW of dispatchable generation was also connected during the year. “This was a mix of quick-release fossil fuel generating plant. In addition, a new 504MW capacity interconnector was connected just before Christmas.”
According to Kenna, this activity was in line with the Shaping Our Electricity Future roadmap, which sets out EirGrid’s approach to achieving Ireland’s renewable energy ambition of having 80 per cent of the country’s electricity coming from renewable sources as set out by Government targets.
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“I manage a team of project managers and engineers who look after projects to upgrade and reinforce the grid. We bring the projects through our Framework for Grid Development. This is a detailed six–step approach that brings consistency to how we deliver projects all the way from initial planning stage right the way through to when they are handed over to ESB Networks for development. It informs our decisions on what projects to proceed with and involves a lot of cross-functional and interdisciplinary decision-making here in Eirgrid. A big part of it is engagement with communities.”
Connecting wind and solar requires upgrades to the existing network. “A significant part of that involves working with stakeholders, both internal and external including local authorities, State bodies and so on. We work in lockstep with the other stakeholders. We also work with the developers to align our projects to ensure network infrastructure is available when it is needed.”
His team also works with developers to ensure they have built out the connections to the right standards and specifications. “There are transmission network standards that they have to build to. We ensure everything is built to the correct standards and codes. Our transmission network planners are constantly looking at the pipeline of new-generation projects and where grid upgrades and reinforcements might be required. My team looks after those upgrade projects.”
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The new connections made in 2024 will improve the country’s security of electricity supply, he adds. “We are moving away from conventional fossil fuel power generation and these new connections improve the diversity of the generation mix. Having more wind and solar connected means we can reach in and grab it when it’s available. The new interconnector allows us to import electricity and also to export it when we have a surplus. This will be further supported by the Celtic Interconnector with France which will come online in 2026 with an even larger capacity of 700MW.”
New technologies are also playing an important role, according to Kenna. “These include Statcom and power flow controllers which allow us to push and pull power from where it is generated to where it is needed more easily. These upgrades allow more power to flow through existing pathways and extend the life of the assets at the same time. We are building a really robust and resilient grid, and it will continue to strengthen.”
Looking ahead, he believes a similar amount of generation capacity will be connected in 2025. “A big change will be an unprecedented increase in large-scale solar projects. We are looking at tripling or even quadrupling the amount connected to the grid. Wind has been around for 20 to 25 years and solar has been ramping up at a very healthy rate. We will have further wind and battery storage connections.”
He acknowledges the challenges that lie ahead. “We are developing one of the largest portfolios of infrastructure in the State. A big part of what we do is consultations with communities. Our public engagement team is out engaging with communities all the time to ensure they understand what we are doing and the requirement to upgrade the grid as part of the country’s decarbonisation journey.
“We are very lucky to have fantastic staff and great talent in EirGrid and we want to make sure we are properly resourced and have the right capabilities and capacity in place. We work with our staff on training and development and have a graduate programme to bring in excellent project management and engineering talent.”
And, as with any large organisation delivering significant infrastructure projects, the planning process does present certain challenges. “We engage with stakeholders and the planning authorities to mitigate delays and work through the challenges collaboratively with them,” he concludes.
