Wind farms ‘must meet higher standards’

IRISH wind farms need to meet higher technical standards before the ban on connections to the power network can be lifted, the national grid operator said yesterday.

Managing director Kieran O’Brien said the increasing number of wind farms posed a risk to the stability of the national electricity transmission system, if strict performance standards were not met. ESB National Grid, which is due to be renamed Eirgrid shortly, recently asked energy regulator Tom Reeves to suspend connections for wind generators to the grid.

The temporary ban came into effect earlier this month. The use of wind generators has grown substantially since 1995 and now produces 165 megawatts, which is enough to supply almost 170,000 homes.