8.2 | Strategic Energy Grid The Region is particularly rich in renewable energy resources and contains significant energy generation infrastructure of national and regional importance, including hydro-generation, thermal generation at Moneypoint, Tarbert, Marina, Aghada, Whitegate and Great Island.
A safe, secure and reliable supply of energy is critical to a well-functioning Region. With projected increases in population and economic growth, the demand for energy is set to increase in the coming years. In moving towards a more energy efficient society and an increase in renewable sources, there is a need to set a policy approach which will meet national targets for renewable electricity generation, climate change and security of energy supplies. The RSES supports a safe, secure and reliable system of transmission and distribution of electricity and the successful implementation of the Ireland’s Grid Development Strategy, Your Grid, Your Tomorrow, prepared by EirGrid. The transmission grid is currently robust enough to service the growth strategy for the Region and demand locations. There is significant potential to use renewable energy across the Region to achieve climate change emission reduction targets. With costs actively driven down by innovation in solar, onshore and offshore wind in particular, the renewable industry is increasingly cost competitive. The RSES supports renewable industries and requirements for transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Evenwith significant energy demand centres, the Region is currently generating more than demand at present. Eirgrid’s Grid Development Strategy, Your Grid, Your Tomorrow addresses the overall needs of the system and will increase transfer capacity from the south and southwest to the Eastern and Midland Region. This signifies the strategic role of the Region’s energy assets in national energy generation and transmission. The existing infrastructure, developed over many years, represents major and on-going capital and infrastructural investment in strategic national assets and is essential for the continued provision of a secure and reliable electricity supply. This is particularly the case within electricity generation stations including Ardnacrusha hydro-station (86MW) on the River Shannon, Inniscarra & Carrigadrohid hydrostations (27MW) on the river Lee and three thermal plants, one at Moneypoint (915MW) and two thermal stations at Aghada (270MW & 435MW). Investment in new renewable energy technologies at these locations will make it more feasible to transition to a low carbon future. Eirgrid and the French transmission system operator (RTÉ) are jointly developing an energy interconnector between France and Ireland at a location in our Region (the Celtic Interconnector project). There are significant benefits, including an increased competition and increased security in supply. It will help facilitate Ireland’s transition to a low carbon energy future and host fibre optics, providing a direct telecommunications link between Ireland and continental Europe.
Refer also to Chapter 5 for RPOs supporting renewable energy.
Data Centres The Government statement on the role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy published June 2018, advises that a plan-led and strategic approach should ensure suitable locations throughout Ireland are promoted for investment in data centres to minimise the need for deep reinforcements on the energy grid. This policy is reflected for the Region in the objectives set out on the next page.
Southern Regional Assembly | RSES
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