Don’t you (forget about me): a future without coal in SEM?

Record-setting daily wind generation output, increasing installed wind capacity and new renewable electricity support schemes all make for great headlines. However, the reality that 42% of generation in SEM last month came from renewables doesn’t feel like the exception, but the rule.  

This high, and importantly, consistent wind output has come at a time when the grid could have been under a high amount of stress, as all three of Moneypoint’s coal-fired units have been out of action due to a forced outage.

Interestingly, this may give us a preview of what SEM will look like in the mid-2020s when Moneypoint is due to cease operations.

This week’s blog looks the generation mix breakdown over November.

Related thinking

Announcement

Emissions intensity drops for October 2023

From Cornwall Insight Australia’s NEM Market Analysis report This October saw a 12.6% reduction in total emissions (accounting for -1.18 Mt CO2-e reduction) as solar and wind generation has increased significantly. The reduction in emissions may continue with the arrival of Fly Creek and Rye Park wind farms expected soon...

Net zero corporates and ESG

Q3 2023 All-Island Power Market Outlook to 2030 overview

This report provides an annual overview of trends for the All-Ireland Power Market out to 2030 using outputs from Cornwall Insight’s latest forward curve for the All-Island (AI) Single Electricity Market (SEM) covering Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This publication is based on comprehensive market and asset-level power...

Announcement

2022/23 Australian energy insights report

Analytics on key current developments in the Australian energy industry Cornwall Insight Australia has released its latest compilation of Australian energy insights, charts, and analyses. The report includes the topics of energy storage and flexibility, generation (all technologies), power prices, low carbon generation, FCAS, policy and regulation, electric vehicles, and...

Net zero corporates and ESG

Q2 2023 All-Island Power Market Outlook to 2030 overview

This report provides an annual overview of trends for the All-Ireland Power Market out to 2030 using outputs from Cornwall Insight’s latest forward curve for the All-Island (AI) Single Electricity Market (SEM) covering Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This publication is based on comprehensive market and asset-level power...

Net zero corporates and ESG

Q1 2023 All-Island Power Market Outlook to 2030 overview

This report provides an annual overview of trends for the All-Ireland Power Market out to 2030 using outputs from Cornwall Insight’s latest forward curve for the All-Island (AI) Single Electricity Market (SEM) covering Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This publication is based on comprehensive market and asset-level power...

Low carbon generation

Understanding the evolution of the Irish electricity markets

The Irish electricity sector has undergone significant change in recent years. The Integrated Single Electricity Market (I-SEM) arrangements introduced in 2018 fundamentally transformed the market framework to maximise competition, facilitate electricity wholesale trading, and incentivise the development of low-carbon generation sources. In parallel the physical system continues to evolve rapidly....

Low carbon generation

Government publishes Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2023

This article is an extract from our Energy Spectrum Ireland service, which is a monthly publication and weekly news bulletin covering key developments in the Irish and Northern Irish energy sectors. If you are interested, we are currently offering a free trial which you can sign up to by filling...

Net zero corporates and ESG

Long-term regulatory and policy changes needed to avoid stalls to business decarbonisation

In light of the financial pressures faced by businesses from rising inflation and interest rates, tight supply chains and labour markets, alongside high energy bills, there is a high chance corporate investment in decarbonisation could be in trouble. In Cornwall Insight's latest Insight paper “Business net zero: Making progress in...