The deployment of renewable energy sources (RES) in the electricity sector has been increasing steadily in recent years and Ireland and Northern Ireland are now committed to increasing the level of renewable electricity consumption to 40% by 2020. The EirGrid Group is at the forefront of this change and is working with all industry stakeholders to facilitate these ambitious renewable electricity targets. At its core, our strategy to integrate more renewable energy is been realised through a commitment to build the network infrastructural requirements and understand the operational implications of managing a power system with large amounts of variable renewable generation.

The combination of the All Island Grid studies, EirGrid’s Grid 25 , the Facilitation of Renewables studies, and a comprehensive analysis of the long-term needs of the power system conducted in 2011, form the backbone of our plans to facilitate the 40% target by 2020. To manage the operational element of our work over the coming years, EirGrid and SONI have established a programme of work entitled the “Programme for a Secure Sustainable Power System ”. This work programme includes enhancing the portfolio performance, developing new operational policies and system tools to efficiently use the plant portfolio to the best of its capabilities, and regularly reviewing the needs of the system as the portfolio capability evolves.

The first EirGrid Group Annual Renewable Report 2010  provides a useful overview of our role in the renewable space. If you have any specific queries on this report or on the Programme please email the Sustainable Power Systems (SPS) team at: SPS@eirgrid.com