Press Release: Grid delivery must accelerate as solar records are broken again

Industry group warns record renewable generation risks being lost without faster development

Solar Ireland is warning that too much clean, renewable energy is being wasted because grid and system development is not keeping pace with record level of generation. The industry group is speaking out as a sunny spell begins to break energy generation records once again.

At 2.30pm yesterday, utility-scale solar contributed a record 37.06% of the fuel demand across the country, according to Green Collective data. That’s just 2% away from the level of imported gas being used in the 24-hour period leading up to Sunday afternoon. According to EirGrid, the total amount of renewable generation from wind and solar exceeded 46%.

CEO of Ronan Power said:

“This is a fantastic week for solar in Ireland and shows just how quickly the sector is growing and contributing to our energy system. But it also highlights an increasingly important challenge. As generation levels continue to rise, parts of the system are struggling to absorb all the clean, renewable energy available, leading to increasing dispatch down and curtailment.  This is no longer just a grid issue. It is increasingly a system optimisation challenge involving network delivery, flexibility, storage and operational solutions.”

Power said Ireland now needs to move quickly from planning to implementation:

“The investment commitment is there and we welcome that. The priority now is accelerating delivery and ensuring grid infrastructure, system services and operational measures keep pace with renewable deployment. Every unit of renewable electricity we can use helps reduce reliance on imported fuels, improves energy security and supports consumers at a time when energy costs remain a concern for many households and businesses. Ireland is breaking solar records. We now need the system to be ready to maximise their benefit.”

Solar Ireland is calling for accelerated delivery across grid infrastructure, flexibility measures and operational actions to ensure Ireland can fully capture periods of strong renewable generation such as the current warm spell.