Minister warns of ‘catastrophic’ power interruptions unless gas accepted as transitional fuel

There could be “catastrophic” interruptions to Ireland’s power supply unless natural gas – including liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure – is used as the country transitions to renewable energy, a Minister has warned.

Fine Gael Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan made the case for gas storage facilities to be developed in a submission to the Government’s ongoing review of energy security. In contrast, environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth Ireland said the Government must “clearly reject” the gas supply mitigation options in the review “in particular LNG” given the “negative effect” they would have on carbon emissions.

The review is taking place against a backdrop of pressure on Ireland’s power system, the energy crisis sparked by Russia’s war on Ukraine and this month’s Cop27 climate summit in Egypt.

A report compiled by consultants as part of the review shortlisted a series of mitigation options as responses to potential shocks to Irish energy supply. Among the options are non-commercial onshore gas storage facilities and floating LNG terminals.

Commercial gas options were dismissed – the increased likelihood of the importation of fracked gas and the possibility that use of LNG could have an adverse impact on decarbonisation targets were given as the reasons.

A public consultation phase of the review ended last month, and ultimately Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan will make recommendations to Cabinet on how Ireland’s energy needs can be secured in the coming years.

In his submission Mr O’Donovan says the expansion of renewable power deserved continued support from Government. However, he argues that a “lack of reliability” in the level of energy being produced by renewables “could lead to interruptions of supply unless the transitional element of natural gas is accepted, and the necessary investment is put in place to support the roll out of modern infrastructure like LNG terminals”.

He adds that this is happening in other EU countries like Germany.

[ What are floating LNG terminals, and are there plans to bring any to Ireland? ]

The use of LNG has been a contentious issue within Government. The Green Party has been resisting it amid concerns over the environmentally damaging fracking process used to extract gas by some LNG producers. In contrast, some TDs in Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have been supportive of a proposed permanent commercial LNG facility for the Shannon Estuary.

Mr O’Donovan, a Limerick County TD, told The Irish Times that the project was “going through an active planning process so I wouldn’t like to comment on it.”

He said he was not “hung up” on locations for gas storage, and he said Ireland probably needed more than one facility.

Mr O’Donovan said if gas storage was not brought in the potential interruption in energy supply would be “absolutely catastrophic”, and he argued that commercial options should not be ruled out.

Friends of the Earth used its submission to call on the Government to make the current moratorium on LNG and fracked gas imports permanent through legislation. The organisation says it “does not consider that Ireland should risk reliance on LNG given our climate obligations, given the risk of carbon leakage, given social and environmental impacts particularly of fracked gas, as well as human rights implications”.

It also suggests a moratorium on new data centres – they use high levels of energy – connecting to the grid until the pressure on the electricity system and gas demand risks are “comprehensively addressed”.

The organisation also suggest several additional options to improve Ireland’s energy security. Among them is the Government prioritising the roll out of solar panels on the rooftops of one million homes by 2030, an action it says would produce 25 per cent of all residential electricity demand.