Ireland to hit renewable energy targets

NEW figures show Ireland is firmly on target to achieve its renewable energy objectives.

The number of wind farms in Ireland is to double to 100 by 2010, according to ESB National Grid, the electricity transmission system operator.

In order to achieve the State’s EU target of 13.2% of generating power from renewable sources, Ireland has to install 1,100 megawatts (MW) of wind power.

Enough wind farms have been offered grid connections to bring Ireland to that objective and beyond. In the first half of 2005 alone, over 300MW of wind farms received offers to connect.

At present, there is almost 500MW of wind power connected to the Irish power system, at 50 wind farms around Ireland, from Donegal to Kerry and from Galway to Monaghan and Wexford.

A further 600MW of wind generators (40 further wind farms) have signed contracts with the grid operators which give them the right to connect to the power system when they construct their wind farms.

And, in addition, 182MW of wind generators (another 14 wind farms) have received offers to connect to the power system.

ESB National Grid said this means that, four years ahead of deadline, there are enough wind farms either constructed or with connection offers and agreements to push renewable energy generation beyond 1,100MW and ensure that Ireland achieves and exceeds the renewable energy target of 13.2% generated by 2010.

ESB National Grid said work does not stop with the achievement of this target, and plans for another processing system are underway to connect even more wind farms.

It said the objectives of the electricity industry are to continue to integrate more wind in the future, while maintaining a safe, secure and stable system.

ESB National will look to system operators to resolve challenges of intermittent output from wind farms.

A group processing scheme was introduced last year, speeded up the connection of wind power by ensuring that wind farms did not compete for single connections but that connections for groups of farms were processed at the same time.

At present, grid operators and the Commission for Energy Regulation are working on a second group processing scheme, which will ensure even more connection offers are delivered. This has been discussed with wind farm developers.

ESB National Grid said major progress has been made in the past few years on a Grid Code (“rules of the road”) for the addition of wind power, and cooperation is also taking place on computer modelling of the addition of wind power to the system.

Millions of euro of investment will be going into strengthening the electricity networks at transmission and distribution level over the coming five years. This investment will benefit all customers and generators, including wind farmers, it said.