70x30 Implementation Plan - Saving Power

The Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan, which was launched in June 2019, has set an ambitious target of 70% renewable electricity for Ireland by 2030 (70by30). The majority of this target will be met by significant increases in onshore wind, almost doubling our existing capacity, and the rapid development of our nascent offshore wind energy sector.

This will bring about significant challenges that must be addressed if we are to deliver this renewable electricity in the most efficient and cost-effective manner within the 2030 timeframe.

Increased deployment of onshore wind and the planned development of new solar farms and offshore wind farms will create greater challenges in integrating renewable electricity. Already wind farms are being dispatched down - instructed to reduce the amount of power they generate – because the system is unable to cope with the large volumes of clean power available.

Saving Power is part of Green Tech/IWEA’s ‘Delivering 70by30’ programme of work and will focus on the ability of the Irish power system to accommodate increasing renewables in the most efficient manner.

The workshop will analyse the ability of the system to accommodate the significant volumes of renewables needed for 2030 in terms of potential dispatch down (constraint and curtailment levels). We will then examine the measures needed to minimise levels of dispatch down and maximise the use of renewable energy on the Irish system, such as DS3, increased interconnection and grid capacity.

Participants will gain an understanding of the onshore and offshore project pipeline, the key challenges that will need to be overcome to achieve our 70by30 target and the necessary solutions to address these challenges.

This course is intended to assist those working in the renewable industry and key stakeholders in understanding and developing the skills needed to address the important challenges and corresponding solutions that will be required to deliver our 70% renewable electricity target. As such, besides renewable industry members and those active and interested in the renewable industry, this course will be of benefit to policymakers such An Bord Pleanala, the CRU, EirGrid, ESBN, DCCAE and DHPLG.

The course will consist of a 30-minute presentation by Noel Cunniffe, Head of Policy at IWEA, summarising the key challenges and recommendations to minimise dispatch down. This will be followed by a 90-minute panel discussion and Q&A session with participants.

Participants on the panel will be:

• Noel Cunniffe - Head of Policy, IWEA
• Rory Mullan – Director, MullanGrid Consulting
• Sheila Nolan – Senior Lead Engineer, EirGrid
• Sam Harden – Chairperson, Energy Storage Ireland

Supporting materials will include a slide pack and detailed ‘Saving Power’ implementation plan.

The Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) is the representative body for the Irish wind industry with over 150 members covering all areas of the industry supply chain. We work with our members, policymakers and the public to promote the development of wind energy as an essential, economical and environmentally friendly part of Ireland’s low-carbon energy future.

IWEA has significant expertise and experience in the renewables industry and in Irish energy policy, both for the onshore and offshore wind sectors. We work to develop policy position papers, information papers and reports via consultation with our members to drive forward renewable policy in Ireland.