In partnership with Baringa, TNEI have produced a new report with Wind Energy Ireland which examines the electricity system’s potential carbon budge and will be a key contribution to the current debate on Ireland’s emissions targets.
The report shows how power sector emissions could be kept to 66 million tonnes between 2021 and 2030, but only if existing plans for Ireland’s energy system are improved and accelerated. The report highlights three key priorities for Government ahead of the setting of carbon budgets for each sector of the economy:
- We must accelerate the delivery of onshore wind and solar
- Shaping Our Electricity Future is not enough
- We must replace the fossil-fuel based back-up
Jeff Kelliher, Specialist Consultant, Dearbhla O’Brien, Country Manager, Ireland and Kenneth Conway, Principal Power Systems Consultant worked on the findings and comment “There is no silver bullet for transforming our power system towards net zero. However, an Accelerated Decarbonisation pathway is the only game in town. Early deployment of renewable energy, as well as approaches to allow this energy access to the grid is imperative.
The existing grid development strategy is not enough and is already incredibly ambitious in such a short timeframe. Building the level of new infrastructure required, needs urgent and unprecedented action, from all corners of the industry.
Although Offshore is critical, it is unlikely to be delivered as quickly as we need it. An immediate eruption of onshore wind and solar connections is key. Although we are likely to experience grid limitations in the medium term, while we wait for the grid to catch up and for interconnectors to arrive, we need to box cleaver. We need to leverage new technologies on our network and revolutionise our operational approaches to take the best advantage of our incredible renewable energy resources.
We need more infrastructure. We need policy fit for purpose. We need transparency and collaboration. We need new ways of thinking and courage to act on them. We need ambition. We need action.”
Read the full report here and if you would like to discuss the findings further, please contact us here.
