Eirgrid begins ‘ground-breaking’ work on managing green energy flows

National electricity grid operator Eirgrid has recruited two partners to work on a €300,000 project to boost the flow of renewable power on its system.

The State company said on Thursday that it has joined forces with power technology firm Smart Wire Grid Europe and consortium Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on a "ground-breaking project".

According to Eirgrid, the two-year project will have a total budget of €300,000 and aims to develop software allowing the company to boost the amount of wind and solar electricity that the grid can transport.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland will support the project with cash from its National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Funding Programme.

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Eirgrid has to increase the average amount of renewable electricity the grid can carry to 70 per cent by 2030 from 40 per cent now.

Energy transition

Mark Foley, chief executive of Eirgrid, said that the project would prepare the Irish system for the future and contribute "to the global energy transition" by supporting the development of software that can be used by grid operators around the world.

Peter Wells, Smart Wires chief executive, predicted that power flow technology would be crucial to countries meeting pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

“This project will be watched with interest globally and is another example of European technology leadership in the energy transition,” he added.