First-Ever Power Grid to Run on This Much Renewable Energy (from Different Sources!)

Ireland and Northern Ireland have become the first places in the world with a power grid that has the capacity to get three-quarters of its electricity from variable renewable sources.

The national grid operator, EirGrid, has played a big role in the project since it began back in 2011. During the trial period, the grid ran successfully at between 70% and 75% of renewable energy — including from wind farms, solar farms, and interconnectors — for a total of 232 hours.

Liam Ryan, chief innovation officer at EirGrid emphasized, “This is a hugely significant milestone and a critical step in the decarbonization of the electricity sector on the island of Ireland.” 

Ireland and Northern Ireland had to overcome “major technical challenges” as energy from wind and solar farms as well as interconnectors have very different characteristics when compared to conventional fossil-fuel-generated energy. Though maintaining the stability and security of the power system presents a challenge, a 2030 goal of having 95% of energy come from renewable sources is already in the works via EirGrid’s program “Shaping Our Electricity Future”.