Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 January 2013
28. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will establish a nationwide process of dealing with wind turbine applications that will outline a process where the concerns of all will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4678/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) is the statutorily independent regulator for the electricity and natural gas sectors in Ireland under the Electricity Regulation Act 1999 as amended. Supervision of the grid connection process is vested in the CER. Aside from microgeneration that meets specified criteria, all applications by wind generators for connection to the electricity network are processed through the Gate process.
The CER established the Group Processing Approach known as the ‘Gate’ process for applications for grid connections. This means that grid connections in Ireland are processed in batches rather than sequentially. Within these gates, applications are further divided into groups and sub-groups based on the optimal network required to connect them. This approach is considered a more efficient process than dealing with applications on an individual basis where projects which are the subject of such applications interact with each other electrically and where large volumes of such applications exist. The group processing approach allows for a more strategic view to be taken of network requirements and serves to put in place efficient connection solutions to cater for large number of applications and to ensure optimum network development, minimising network costs and, where possible, avoidance of network bottlenecks.
To date, CER has put in place 3 'Gates.' Under Gate 1 and Gate 2, 1755MW of connection offers were made and accepted. Under Gate 3, almost 4000MW of offers issued to renewable generators. A Gate 3 liaison group involving EirGrid, ESB Networks, CER and industry representatives meets on a regular basis. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s latest estimates are that around 4,000MW of renewable generation is required on the electricity network by 2020 to deliver our 40% renewable electricity target. The total amount of renewable generation in the 3 Gates is well above that amount.
While the take up of Gate 3 offers is not clear at this stage, largely as a result of ongoing consultations on the Single Electricity Market (SEM) Committee scheduling and dispatch rules, even with some fall off, sufficient offers appear to have already issued to ensure that our target can be achieved. The implementation of Gate 3 requires a significant amount of grid build and grid upgrade, which will be challenging to achieve in the period to 2020. EirGrid’s Grid 25 implementation plans are designed to augment and improve the grid in order to connect the Gate 3 grid connection offers and to deliver on our 2020 targets. Any decision on a future Gate for new wind generators would have to be considered in the context of the processes already underway.
Apart from the above, the CER published a decision in 2009 (CER 09/099) that allows for certain renewable, small and low carbon generators to connect to the transmission and distribution grids without going through the full rigours of the Gate process. This includes small projects, research and development projects and those that qualify as they are deemed to provide benefits of a public nature that merit qualification.
