Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap was prepared by EirGrid and SONI (Northern Ireland grid operator) in consultation with stakeholders across society, government, industry, market participants and electricity consumers. Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap provides an outline of the key developments to support a transition to a net zero by 2050.
This Roadmap draws on an extensive public and industry engagement in the first half of 2021. It identifies the network reinforcements needed to manage a fundamentally different generation fleet, new technologies and demand growth. The Roadmap is based on consultation and studies spanning across transmission networks, stakeholder engagement, power system operation and electricity markets with the aim of developing an integrated vision of the 2030 power system and electricity markets for Ireland and Northern Ireland
A detailed review of the public and industry consultation feedback, combined with EirGrid and SONI analysis of electricity grid, system operations provided the following insights relating to the role of Energy Communities.in the future roadmap.
There was strong support for the connection of micro-generation from communities across Ireland and Northern Ireland. Communities are eager to get involved in this aspect of the electricity system and believe micro-generation should have a relatively significant role in attaining at least 70% renewables.
There was strong support for community ownership of renewables and that communities should be supported and incentivised to develop community owned renewable projects. Many stakeholders believed a community-led approach to renewable project development would provide significant community benefit, support acceptance of energy infrastructure and demonstrate a grassroots contribution to achieving climate action targets. However, stakeholders strongly communicated that systems need to be put in place to foster and encourage ideas in this area.
There was repeated reference to the need for rural communities to share in any economic upturn as a result of the implementation of a roadmap with major Renewable Ambition. This includes balancing the infrastructure modelling across the island, encouraging large energy users to locate in regional cities and balance the requirement of offshore and onshore generation, in order to sustain jobs and investment.
The full report is available here: https://www.eirgrid.ie/site-files/library/EirGrid/Shaping_Our_Electricity_Future_Roadmap.pdf
