Flexibility Needs Assessment
• First national assessment of Ireland's flexibility needs • Flexibility will support Ireland's clean energy transition • Storage and smart technologies will play a key role • Findings will inform future energy policy and market development
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has published Ireland's first Flexibility Needs Assessment (FNA), which looks at the technologies and smart electricity use that will be needed by 2028 and 2030 to support Ireland's growing use of renewable energy and electrification of transport and heating.
Flexibility refers to the ability of the electricity system to respond to changing conditions by adjusting when electricity is generated, used or stored.
As Ireland increases its use of renewable energy, flexibility will help ensure electricity can be supplied securely and efficiently, while reducing network congestion and maximising the use of clean energy.
Examples include flexible generation, distributed energy resources, storage and technologies that allow consumers to shift electricity use to different times of the day.
The assessment, prepared by the CRU in collaboration with EirGrid and ESB Networks, finds that flexibility will play a critical role in helping Ireland accommodate higher levels of renewable generation while maintaining a secure and reliable electricity system.
The assessment followed the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER)-approved Flexibility Needs Assessment Methodology.
The report also finds that flexibility will be essential to supporting Ireland's transition to a low-carbon electricity system by maximising the use of renewable energy, reducing pressure on the network and maintaining a secure power supply.
It also finds that many future flexibility needs are likely to occur over longer periods rather than short peak events, increasing the importance of longer-duration flexibility solutions.
Commission Chairperson, Fergal Mulligan, said: “As Ireland continues its transition to a cleaner energy system, flexibility will become increasingly important. This assessment provides a clear evidence base to help us understand future needs and support the development of the policies, markets and technologies required to meet them.
"There is no single solution to meeting Ireland's future flexibility needs. A mix of technologies, services and market arrangements will be needed to ensure consumers can benefit from a secure, efficient and increasingly renewable electricity system."
The assessment also identifies a number of market barriers and challenges that will need to be addressed to unlock the full benefits of flexibility.
These include ensuring that flexibility providers have clear incentives to invest, improving access to the electricity network and making it easier for new participants to take part in flexibility markets.
The findings will help inform Ireland's future approach to flexibility, including the setting of national non-fossil flexibility targets and support for ongoing work by the CRU, EirGrid and ESB Networks to facilitate the transition to a low-carbon energy system.
The Flexibility Needs Assessment will be updated at least every two years to reflect changes in the electricity system and emerging technologies.
The full report is available here.
ENDS