This week, the Joint Committee on Climate Action (JCCA) recommended a legally binding renewable electricity target by 2030, with State-built grid connections to accommodate this. Implementation of such initiatives into policy has, in other countries, added to the final electricity bill for domestic consumers. In this week’s blog, we discuss the potential impact of the recommendations from the JCCA on household electricity bills.
Related thinking
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...
Regulation and policy
Electricity transmission charging reform – overtaken by changing priorities?
Charging for the transmission network is never out of the development process for long. From major reviews, such as that initiated under Project Transmit in 2010, to significant reforms such as removing the triad benefit from distributed generation in 2018, and a host of smaller developments, change seems the only...
Regulation and policy
Ofgem “hands-on” in RIIO-2 as net zero route unfolds
During the next round of the RIIO price controls, Ofgem can be expected to take a more hands-on approach to outputs the networks are required to provide and the allowed revenues they can charge their users or consumers. This will have impacts for network development including the enabling of electric...
Commercial and market outlook
Divergent electricity prices in the wake of Brexit
On 1 January 2021, the UK left the European Union (EU) and as such is no longer part of the Internal Energy Market (IEM). While the UK and the EU agreed a post-Brexit Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 24 December, outlining how energy markets, interconnectors and regulation will be affected,...
Low carbon generation
Ireland to fall short of existing climate targets under BaU approach
Published on 13 September, a report by the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) has called for a new policy system to enable the rapid deployment of renewable electricity. The third in a series of four studies which make up the 70by30 Implementation Plan, Building Onshore Wind identifies policy changes required for Ireland to deliver the...
Regulation and policy
New horizons: DCC plans to expand remit over next 5 years
The government awarded the Data Communications Company (DCC) licence to Capita subsidiary Smart DCC Ltd in 2013. As an Ofgem-regulated monopoly, the DCC’s remit was to set up the smart metering communications infrastructure, linking up 53mn electricity and gas meters with the systems of energy suppliers, network companies and third...
Energy storage and flexibility
CRU implements COVID-19 supply suspension scheme
On 1 May, the CRU set out the details of its decision to implement a temporary supply suspension scheme for eligible SME electricity and gas customers due to the impact of the pandemic. It said that the unique and extraordinary circumstances of the current situation require a modification to the current approach...
Regulation and policy
Industry codes flex for COVID-19
In response to the growing impacts of the pandemic, which has seen electricity demand drop dramatically and industry participants unable to go about many of their usual activities, a series of temporary changes have been introduced across industry codes to mitigate some of the most severe effects. They have all...