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Energy infrastructure

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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,779 ✭✭✭Carawaystick


    I see lots of people writing uk, but meaning britain, the North is an integral part of the national grid here, and this state owns it up there also.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,255 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    What is the likelihood of a feed-in tariff from the ESB so the photocells become more useful?


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    What is the likelihood of a feed-in tariff from the ESB so the photocells become more useful?

    Has there been much talk from the Greens as to what their policy regarding this would be?


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,643 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    Has there been much talk from the Greens as to what their policy regarding this would be?

    https://www.greenparty.ie/policies/energy/

    "Allow homes with rooftop solar panels to sell excess energy to the national grid."


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    loyatemu wrote: »
    https://www.greenparty.ie/policies/energy/

    "Allow homes with rooftop solar panels to sell excess energy to the national grid."

    Sweet


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,255 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    Eamonn Ryan has been on about 'smart' metres for a decade.

    1. They allow a feed in tariff so solar panels can sell electricity to the grid. This is essential if solar power is to be viable on a small scale. It also allows other micro-generation to feed in.

    2. They can turn on or off things like charging electric cars or storage heaters. They could also demand power from an domestic battery or an electric car, for example, to balance demand.

    They sound a bit advanced for our creaky infrastructure, but could be a good green project.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,194 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatInABox


    Meeting between Varadkar and Macron today about the Celtic Interconnector project. They're looking for EU support on this, up to the tune of €667 million.

    https://twitter.com/tconnellyRTE/status/1133408016412368898


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,644 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    Is there much benefit to the grid in introducing a FIT? I mean, you will get lots of energy being fed in at the same time but there may not be much demand for it at the time.

    With the rise of EVs, aren't people more likely to use their own PV generated energy themselves, stored by battery until they need it?


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,099 ✭✭✭plodder


    loyatemu wrote: »
    re: battery backup. Is there a case for more pumped-storage? Turlough Hill was a great engineering achievement, why not build a few more?
    I'd be sceptical that there is potential for conventional pumped storage at the required scale. Though there was an effort a few years ago which proposed large scale pumped storage using sea water and artificially dammed coastal valleys.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_of_Ireland

    To say the idea would have caused environmental concern is an understatement, which I think shows some of these ideas are pipe dreams until they are actually tested with serious study work.

    I think the link to France is a great idea, and an FIT for small scale solar/wind would be great too. Renewables already have priority dispatch on the electricity system, so additional small scale feed in, is not going to make that much difference to the energy balance.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭theguzman


    CatInABox wrote: »
    Meeting between Varadkar and Macron today about the Celtic Interconnector project. They're looking for EU support on this, up to the tune of €667 million.

    https://twitter.com/tconnellyRTE/status/1133408016412368898

    Nuclear via the back door? If Ireland gets enough windfarms built we could sell excess supply to France and vis a vis on to Continental Europe.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 23,179 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Pete_Cavan wrote: »
    Is there much benefit to the grid in introducing a FIT? I mean, you will get lots of energy being fed in at the same time but there may not be much demand for it at the time.

    With the rise of EVs, aren't people more likely to use their own PV generated energy themselves, stored by battery until they need it?

    You won’t get much. Say 5000 houses put in 2KW, that’s just 10MW same as 2 wind turbines. Peak load is during the day when PV is generating

    No, EVs charge at night when PVs aren’t generating


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,644 ✭✭✭Pete_Cavan


    ted1 wrote: »
    You won’t get much. Say 5000 houses put in 2KW, that’s just 10MW same as 2 wind turbines. Peak load is during the day when PV is generating

    No, EVs charge at night when PVs aren’t generating
    If you sell to the grid then you have to pay to charge your EV later. As most homes will have low usage during the day, you are essentially installing PV for the purpose of selling to the grid. The FIT will surely be less than the unit price of electricity in which case I don'tssee how it adds up (unless you have a night rate meter). The government are now offering grants for batteries for domestic PV storage, seems a better option than FIT to me.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,643 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    Pete_Cavan wrote: »
    If you sell to the grid then you have to pay to charge your EV later. As most homes will have low usage during the day, you are essentially installing PV for the purpose of selling to the grid. The FIT will surely be less than the unit price of electricity in which case I don'tssee how it adds up (unless you have a night rate meter). The government are now offering grants for batteries for domestic PV storage, seems a better option than FIT to me.

    there's been much discussion of the economics of installing batteries over on the Renewable Energy board, even with the grants the figures may not stack up (without FIT the payback for PEV panels isn't great either).

    smart meters should allow variable pricing of electricity, so the price increases at times of higher demand and reduces when there's spare capacity, this could apply both the the unit consumption rate and the FIT rate.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,179 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Pete_Cavan wrote: »
    If you sell to the grid then you have to pay to charge your EV later. As most homes will have low usage during the day, you are essentially installing PV for the purpose of selling to the grid. The FIT will surely be less than the unit price of electricity in which case I don'tssee how it adds up (unless you have a night rate meter). The government are now offering grants for batteries for domestic PV storage, seems a better option than FIT to me.

    Net metering would be the better option.
    Put in 1KWh take out 1KWh. Use the grid as a battery. Giving grants fir domestic batteries is a ridiculous idea.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Pete_Cavan wrote: »
    With the rise of EVs, aren't people more likely to use their own PV generated energy themselves, stored by battery until they need it?

    Some people over on the EV forum are already doing this with their EV's.
    ted1 wrote:
    No, EVs charge at night when PVs aren’t generating

    Most do. Though, some people leave their cars at home during the day (take public transport to work) and charge from solar, already folks doing this over on the EV forum. And of course you can charge up over the weekend.

    If you have an EV with a big battery and you weekday commute isn't too long, many could get a full weeks worth of driving from solar panels at the weekend.

    Also some folks have charging at work, which could/should be powered by solar.

    BTW at night there tends to be a lot of excess wind power in Ireland, so EV charging at night is actually pretty green too.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,760 ✭✭✭Apogee


    Gas Networks Ireland has for the first time injected farm-produced biomethane into its national network at a site in Co Kildare and has just applied for planning permission for a second injection point in North Cork.The renewable gas entered the network at Ireland’s first purpose-built injection facility in Cush Co Kildare within the last few days.
    https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/renewable-gas-enters-irelands-first-purpose-built-facility-in-co-kildare-942683.html


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,194 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatInABox


    €530 million from the EU for the Interconnector, not bad at all.

    https://twitter.com/oconnellhugh/status/1179384886051909634


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    CatInABox wrote: »
    €530 million from the EU for the Interconnector, not bad at all.

    https://twitter.com/oconnellhugh/status/1179384886051909634

    Fantastic news. Lots of nice low carbon French nuclear power to benefit from.

    Also in more good news, last week Eirgrid announced that they are going to invest 2bn over the next 5 years in upgrading the grid to support 70% of renewables by 2030. It will be able to handle a peak of up to 95% renewables.

    This will enable a whole new raft of wind farms to come online totalling, doubling our wind capacity to 10,000MW!

    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/energy-and-resources/eirgrid-to-spend-2bn-on-network-upgrades-over-next-five-years-1.4031793


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭theguzman


    bk wrote: »
    Fantastic news. Lots of nice low carbon French nuclear power to benefit from.

    Also in more good news, last week Eirgrid announced that they are going to invest 2bn over the next 5 years in upgrading the grid to support 70% of renewables by 2030. It will be able to handle a peak of up to 95% renewables.

    This will enable a whole new raft of wind farms to come online totalling, doubling our wind capacity to 10,000MW!

    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/energy-and-resources/eirgrid-to-spend-2bn-on-network-upgrades-over-next-five-years-1.4031793

    What is Irish power consumption now?


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    theguzman wrote: »
    What is Irish power consumption now?

    6,500MW


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,081 ✭✭✭theguzman


    bk wrote: »
    6,500MW

    Realistically tiny in the global grand scheme of things.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    theguzman wrote: »
    Realistically tiny in the global grand scheme of things.

    Of course, but we each need to do what we can and encourage others to do the same.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    CatInABox wrote: »
    €530 million from the EU for the Interconnector, not bad at all.

    https://twitter.com/oconnellhugh/status/1179384886051909634

    Great news. Interested to see how they **** it up somehow and run costs up to a billion.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Great news. Interested to see how they **** it up somehow and run costs up to a billion.

    The 530m is not the total cost covered, I believe it's well over a billion already


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,346 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    L1011 wrote: »
    The 530m is not the total cost covered, I believe it's well over a billion already

    Yes, but that is quiet normal for power plants. This will have just sort of the same capacity as Moneypoint, by far our largest power plant.

    To put this in context, Moneypoint was built in 1985 for a cost of €890m and was refurbished in 2008 for a cost of another €350m. The ESB had to write off the cost of the plant last year as it is now worthless! Due to being a coal plant and too polluting. They have gotten barely 20 years out of what should have been 50+ years. They had to take a €150m impairment on the investment last year. Now that is all a stupid waste.

    By comparison this 500m of our money for clean energy and similar capacity is a super deal.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,643 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    up to 100 wind turbines planned for off Dublin/Wicklow. Various coast-dwelling lawyers preparing their injunctions no doubt...

    https://www.irishtimes.com/business/energy-and-resources/joint-venture-to-build-1-5bn-wind-farm-off-dublin-coast-1.4051797


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,917 Mod ✭✭✭✭spacetweek


    10 km off the coast means you won't be able to see the turbines from the shore. Unless you're up on a hill.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,643 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    spacetweek wrote: »
    10 km off the coast means you won't be able to see the turbines from the shore. Unless you're up on a hill.

    these things could be 200 metres high, you will be able to see them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,412 ✭✭✭Markcheese


    loyatemu wrote: »
    these things could be 200 metres high, you will be able to see them.

    See them?
    Or see them clearly?

    Slava ukraini 🇺🇦



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  • Registered Users Posts: 14,643 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    Markcheese wrote: »
    See them?
    Or see them clearly?

    TBH, I don't care either way. The ones on the Arklow bank are certainly visible from the beach at Brittas Bay, I'm not sure how far out they are but I assume these new ones will be a) taller and b) more numerous.

    The last time turbines were proposed for off Dalkey there was all sorts of nonsense about "spoiling the view" so I expect the same this time.


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