System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) recently launched a new five-year strategy aimed at transforming Northern Ireland’s power system grid. The plan will require around £500m (€563m) to be invested in upgrading current infrastructure over a five-year period.
The upgrades will allow the network to handle 95% renewable energy at any one time, a significant increase from the current figure of 65%.
It is expected that the amount of renewable energy connected to the grid will need to double by 2030
SONI managing director Jo Aston delivered the keynote speech at this week’s Northern Ireland Energy Forum held in Belfast.
The new strategy was developed in light of the UK government’s commitment to zero net carbon emissions by 2050.
“To achieve this transformation, it is expected that the amount of renewable energy connected to the grid will need to double by 2030. Currently, approximately 1600 MW of renewable energy is connected to the NI power system,” explained Aston during the opening address.
Exceeding targets
Last September, the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy announced that the NI executive’s target to achieve 40% of its electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020, as set out in the Strategic Energy Framework for Northern Ireland, was met ahead of schedule.
Renewable energy sources in Northern Ireland met 44% of the country’s total electricity consumption in the 12 months to June 2019.
Wind power provided 85.3% of the overall renewables generation in the 12 months ending in June 2019, up from 83.9% in the previous period. The share of solar stood at 3.2%, while that of biomass at 3.6%
More reports from this week’s forum to follow.
Read more
NI smashes 40% renewable electricity target to meet 2020 goal early
Carbon tax considerations
Payments to shift to those farming in environmentally-sound ways – Taoiseach
System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) recently launched a new five-year strategy aimed at transforming Northern Ireland’s power system grid. The plan will require around £500m (€563m) to be invested in upgrading current infrastructure over a five-year period.
The upgrades will allow the network to handle 95% renewable energy at any one time, a significant increase from the current figure of 65%.
It is expected that the amount of renewable energy connected to the grid will need to double by 2030
SONI managing director Jo Aston delivered the keynote speech at this week’s Northern Ireland Energy Forum held in Belfast.
The new strategy was developed in light of the UK government’s commitment to zero net carbon emissions by 2050.
“To achieve this transformation, it is expected that the amount of renewable energy connected to the grid will need to double by 2030. Currently, approximately 1600 MW of renewable energy is connected to the NI power system,” explained Aston during the opening address.
Exceeding targets
Last September, the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy announced that the NI executive’s target to achieve 40% of its electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2020, as set out in the Strategic Energy Framework for Northern Ireland, was met ahead of schedule.
Renewable energy sources in Northern Ireland met 44% of the country’s total electricity consumption in the 12 months to June 2019.
Wind power provided 85.3% of the overall renewables generation in the 12 months ending in June 2019, up from 83.9% in the previous period. The share of solar stood at 3.2%, while that of biomass at 3.6%
More reports from this week’s forum to follow.
Read more
NI smashes 40% renewable electricity target to meet 2020 goal early
Carbon tax considerations
Payments to shift to those farming in environmentally-sound ways – Taoiseach
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