EirGrid unveiled their new strategy for 2020 – 2025 at a blockbuster event last week in Dublin. Headlining the event was the legendary Brian Cox and the EirGrid choir who both made fantastic appearances. Amongst the glitz and the glam of it all however, there were serious announcements from EirGrid CEO, Mark Foley. He focused on increased investment in infrastructure and system services with the anticipated spend over the next 5 years to reach €2 billion. This infrastructure investment, EirGrid says, “is required to ensure that the grid is able to support 70% renewables by 2030”. Is this spend realistic? Our blog surveys the market to find out.
Related thinking
Low carbon generation
Our Renewables Pipeline Tracker: In with the new – scoping projects and progression through planning stages
Our latest Renewables Pipeline Tracker was published on 11 June, and this blog provides a summary of some of the recent developments in our coverage of the pipeline for new build and repowering renewables assets in GB. What’s new? Seabed leasing rounds, scoping projects and CfD announcements Since our previous...
Commercial and market outlook
Data centres predicted to become prosumers of electricity
In combination with Cornwall Insight and Bit Power, Host in Ireland published its Biannual report of Ireland’s Data Hosting Industry. The report highlights the importance of sustainability in Ireland’s digital transformation. The report confirmed the number of operational data centres in Ireland increased by 25 per cent over the past...
Commercial and market outlook
In the midst of the Australian Energy Transformation Process
Australia is in the midst of an energy supply and distribution transformation. This transition is twofold and includes not just bridging the gap from conventional fossil fuels to renewable technologies (due to their reduced carbon footprint, lower levelized cost of energy and improved reliability levels by comparation), but also requires...
Low carbon generation
Nuclear energy and its potential importance for net zero
This article was originally written as a longer piece in Energy Spectrum on 21 March 2021. To find out more about a subscription to Energy Spectrum, please contact Nick on n.palmer@cornwall-insight.com. Nuclear energy has been an integral part of the UK’s electricity system for many decades. Currently, nuclear provides around...
Announcement
GB consultancy: Our 2020 highlights
We are independent commercial advisors to over 300 energy companies from generators, project developers, energy suppliers, network companies, investors, government departments and professional firms. Our team has over 40 years of energy market experience and works across the whole energy chain. Here is a small selection of our work in...
Low carbon generation
New transmission charge forecast will help generators managing cost uncertainty and volatility
Transmission network use of system (TNUoS) charges represent a significant proportion of operating costs for many renewables generators, often exceeding 50% of annual running costs. For some, as recently highlighted by SSE in a recent report and to Members of the Scottish Parliament, they could present a barrier to investment in generation...
Commercial and market outlook
A look back at 2020 part 4
As we take our first steps into 2021, we take our final look back at the biggest developments in the UK energy markets in 2020, setting us up for the significant year ahead. Ofgem issued its decarbonisation Action Plan on 3 February as Jonathan Brearley became Ofgem CEO, setting out...
Announcement
The top 5 podcasts of 2020
We released 13 podcasts in 2020 covering all aspects of the energy market, from the Capacity Market and Electric Vehicles to Faster Switching and heat networks. Here are our top five podcasts of the year, ranked by the number of people who listened. 5. The Impact of COVID-19 on System...
