‘Yes, we can’: Franco-Irish lead EU-wide research project aims to boost green electricity intake

20.03.2018Media

Power grid interconnections and system flexibility are key to integrate bigger shares of renewables. A Franco-Irish research project aims to produce a roadmap to deploy EU power grids that can handle more than 50% of electricity from intermittent renewable sources.

Ireland’s power system is today able to cope with up to 65% of electricity coming from renewables like wind and solar – an expertise Dublin believes can be replicated on a larger scale across Europe.

But to achieve that, more interconnections and flexibility solutions are needed – including demand-side management and storage technology, said participants at a event in the European Parliament earlier this month.

“In 2030, half of our electricity in the EU can be renewable. How can we integrate such a high level of electricity to the system?” asked Seán Kelly, an Irish MEP from the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), who hosted the Parliament event.

The Irish MEP leads the EPP position on the EU’s renewable energy directive, which is currently being negotiated in three-way talks among EU legislators – the European Commission, Parliament and Council.

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