Ireland is on an ambitious journey to becoming a climate neutral economy. This is being made possible by the Climate Action Plan, which outlines how we will dramatically reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere while also balancing that with the amount removed by our land, forestry and technology.
If we can achieve this goal, Ireland will be a much more climate resilient society, allowing us to better cope with the impact of the wider climactic changes happening around the globe.
What makes Ireland's Climate Action Plan special is its focus on how individuals consume energy, not just large-scale generators. That is why ESB Networks has revealed its plans to help decarbonise Ireland’s power distribution network through its new National Network, Local Connections Programme.
ESB Networks connect homes, farms and businesses to Ireland's electricity network. They build and maintain the network to ensure all customers have access to power they can rely on and can connect to renewable resources through the electricity network so we can all be kinder to the planet.
The aim of the nine-year programme is to transform how energy on Ireland’s electricity network is managed and consumed at a local level by customers and communities across the country.
The National Network, Local Connections Programme
Over the course of the next decade, all energy users will be adopting new technologies, products, and services, changing how they generate, store, or consume electricity. The National Network, Local Connections Programme will work to ensure that a distribution system is in place locally to be able to monitor, forecast and manage power supplies.
Part of this new system will allow communities across the country to become more actively involved in managing and controlling their electricity usage as part of new localised marketplaces created by ESB Networks. This will not only allow for a safe and secure network, but also a network that reflects the local or regional needs of each area, allowing for a more positive impact in the fight against climate change.
Get involved
ESB Networks is now commencing its engagement with renewable energy generators and aggregators, large energy users and suppliers, manufacturers and customers as part of its initial step to understand everyone's strategies, capabilities and requirements. This initial period of engagement will have three key areas of focus:
• Understanding how we work towards creating an active energy system
• How can we optimise the system for renewable, customer and community participation
• How can we bring flexibility to the system by reimagining market arrangements
This will enable detailed design of the future power system and ensure that consistent standards are used as new technologies are adopted.
ESB Networks is issuing a suite of consultations which will shape the direction of the programme. The consultation process is open until November 19th and consultation documents can be viewed here .
If you would like to share your thoughts or participate in the formal consultations, you can register by emailing: engagement@esbnetworks.ie.
To learn more about the National Network, Local Connections Programme, click here.
