Sunny afternoon – Ireland’s wind drought

As the sun continues to bathe Ireland and Northern Ireland, spare a thought for the System Operator (SO). This enduring, recent (and unlikely) spell of good weather has a noticeable impacted on renewable generation across the island. What Met Éireann termed “dry, settled weather” is due to a high-pressure system covering most of the landmass. This resulted in lower wind speeds and temperatures that were 2 to 3 degrees above normal in most areas in June and early July.

This week the Irish government also announced cabinet approval for the Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS), making it a relevant time to consider the role of renewables in the generation mix.

In this week’s blog, we look at how these conditions have impacted the fuel mix and wholesale energy prices. We also look at the potential seasonal challenges from a high renewable generation mix.

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Low carbon generation
James Cunningham

James Cunningham

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