A virtual power plant is a network of generators of electricity that join together to operate like a single power plant. The community-based version offers a community the opportunity to provide its energy needs with small-scale, distributed low-carbon technologies with participation from individual consumers, local energy co-operatives or companies, or SMEs.
There are no new wires, or cables required, communities and citizens can generate renewable power, the virtual power plant aggregates the power, and then distributes it back to its customers.
You sure can! Whether you are a household, community, business, public or private building user, if you currently buy electricity anywhere on the island of Ireland, you can switch and buy your electricity from Community Power.
You can switch in 3 simple steps. Click here to get started.
Yes. If you are a local energy company, energy co-operative, community organisation, or citizen generating renewable electricity you can sell it to Community Power. We do this by entering into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with small to medium sized generators. Community Power is one of a small number of licenced suppliers who can provide a PPA to generators of electricity.
If you are a household or small building with microgeneration you will need to have an export meter installed to monitor the amount of electricity that you are exporting. We will be taking on micro generators in batches in the near future. If you would like to sell your micro-generation to Community Power, register your interest here, and we will contact you with the next steps. Community Power are not in a position to offer any subsidy to microgenerators as there are no national subsidies for microgeneration in Ireland, but will pay a fair price for all renewable electricity.
If you have renewable generator, approximately 50 kw or greater and you would like to sell your power to Community Power, Community Power can offer a fair Power Purchase Agreement. Or if you or your organisation is exploring ‘on site’ renewable generation, and have a requirement for a licenced supply company, we can help. Again, please register your interest here.
Almost! Community and citizen ownership of renewable energy is supported in European and Irish energy policy, unfortunately in practice however in Ireland this remains very difficult with some significant barriers in relation to connecting renewables to the grid, and market supports.
We are waiting for the terms of the forthcoming Renewable Electricity Support Scheme to be announced. We expect the Department of Communications, Cliamte Action and Environment to open a public consultation on their draft before the end of 2019. So far, all indications suggest community and citizen owned renewable electricity will be supported for the first time in Ireland through this scheme.
So, watch this space!! We paln to launch a share offer for communities/co-operatives/citizens to invest in and own a solar farms in Ireland in 2020.
If you would like to invest in, own and be part of a community owned renewable energy development, register your interest here.
If you like what we’re doing, and want to be more involved, you can take our survey.
We want to find out how much people know, or care about, where their power comes from.