Consultation on developing an Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland

As the electricity system evolves to accommodate greater levels of renewable generation, the need for low carbon technologies to support the energy transition increases. Flexibility, the ability to shift energy consumption or generation in time or location to help balance supply and demand, will be critical. Electricity storage, which entails capturing energy produced at one time for future use, provides an essential form of low carbon flexibility and will be an integral component of an electricity sector with high renewable penetration.

Electricity storage encompasses many different technologies – of various sizes, locations and durations – across the entire electricity system. It has many critical functions, which include:

• supporting the integration of high volumes of renewable generation
• providing critical system services needed to manage a low-carbon electricity system
• supporting security of supply by storing energy during times of excess supply and releasing it back to the grid when the system needs it most
• providing significant cost savings to electricity consumers

Storage will be vital in helping to meet our Climate Action Plan objectives of increasing the proportion of renewable electricity to up to 80% by 2030 and ultimately in decarbonising the electricity system.

While it is widely accepted that increased levels of electricity storage will be essential in supporting the energy transition, evidence suggests that its benefits are not yet fully understood and that it faces barriers to deployment.

We are developing a policy framework to deliver our objectives in this area as part of the Climate Action Plan. The aim of this consultation is to gather stakeholder feedback to consolidate our understanding of the role of electricity storage in Ireland, as well as the challenges it must overcome and the opportunities it presents. The responses will help inform the design and delivery of an electricity storage policy framework which will be launched next year.

The closing date for submissions is 5.30pm Friday 27 January 2023

Submissions should be sent by email to energystorage@decc.gov.ie or by post to:

Electricity Storage Policy

Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications

29-31 Adelaide Road

Dublin

Ireland

D02 X285

We are committed to engaging with stakeholders in a clear, open and transparent manner. Any person or organisation can make a submission in relation to this consultation. All submissions and feedback will be considered before the final version of the Framework is published.

Please note that responses to this consultation are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (FOI), Access to Information on the Environment Regulations 2007-2018 (AIE) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Please also note that we intend to publish the contents of all submissions received to our consultations on our website. We will redact personal data prior to publication. In responding to this consultation, parties should clearly indicate where their responses contain personal information, commercially sensitive information or confidential information which they would not wish to be released under FOI, AIE or otherwise published.

We would like to draw your attention to our Data Privacy Notice which explains how and when we collect personal data, why we do so and how we treat this information. It also explains your rights in relation to the collection of personal information and how you can exercise those rights.

Consultants from Azorom assisted the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with the analysis of the 68 responses to the consultation. Azorom were tasked with reviewing and summarising these responses with the objective of extracting information which will assist with the development of Ireland’s electricity storage policy framework. Azorom have produced the following report which provides their summary of responses to the consultation.

Industry Submissions

Group/Organisation Submissions

Public Body Submissions

Individual Submissions