DS3

  • Commercial and market outlook

    Editor’s Pick | Is ESB’s market dominance still a concern?

    The Electricity Supply Board (ESB). It doesn’t take too long venturing into the Irish energy sector before one encounters this company. Founded in 1927, the former monopoly provider was responsible for rural electrification in 1946. ESB group companies own the network and participate in generation and supply markets. In the...

  • Announcement

    Navigating I-SEM event – an industry up to the challenge

    The Irish and Northern Irish electricity sector is undergoing its most drastic change in a generation. The move to the Integrated Single Electricity Market (I-SEM) on 1 October will see the Irish and Northern Irish markets shift radically from the status quo. Against this backdrop, on Tuesday 18 September Cornwall...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Roundabout: Reducing complexity in DS3 Procurement

    The DS3 Fixed Contracts Procurement Arrangements Decision Paper, otherwise known as the long-awaited DS3 paper, was released by the SEM Committee last week. The document outlines the framework for how the procurement of DS3 services will be carried out, and how the assessment of bids will be conducted. There are...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Like a prayer: frequency market incentives

    The confirmation that I-SEM will finally go live on 1 October this year finally arrived this week. The news turned our thoughts to how the new market will incentivise the correct market dynamics to ensure that I-SEM delivers value. Amove away from a dispatched network to a hybrid model between...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Just can’t get enough: Irish grid stability on a changing system

    Last week, EirGrid informed the market of another delay to the volume capped DS3 procurement. This mechanism is to allow the System Operator (SO) to obtain from the market system services necessary to balance the system. While the procurement delay may cause some disquiet in the market these commercial arrangements...

  • Low carbon generation

    “We are the champions” – Ireland hits 65% SNSP

    On 13 April, Eirgrid announced that it was now able to handle 65% variable (non-synchronous) renewable generation on the system at any given time. Eirgrid said in its statement that the island of Ireland’s power system is the first in the world to be able to accommodate this level of...

  • Low carbon generation

    Eirgrid and DS3 – a lot done, more to do

    On 29 March Eirgrid published its long-awaited consultation on the Delivering a Secure, Sustainable Electricity System (DS3) System Services Volume Capped Competitive Procurement. It provided some welcome detail on the next steps for DS3, but there are residual questions outstanding which make it difficult for current investors to ascertain risks...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Combination locks: hybrids and connections in Ireland

    On 27 March the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) issued its final decision on the Enduring Connection Policy Stage 1 (ECP-1). The decision was largely as expected with at least 1,000MW of new connection offers under the 2018 batch. Our previous blog ("Sunblock") highlighted the oversubscription issues in the market with...

  • Low carbon generation

    Scale of the DS3 market: Great Expectations or For Whom the Bell Tolls?

    This week Eirgrid announced a delay in the volume capped DS3 procurement of a subset of system services for high availability technologies (e.g. demand side units, batteries, flywheels). With this delay and the current Storm Emma related high winds, it is a relevant time to consider the potential impact of...

  • Low carbon generation

    Ireland’s thermal plants sail into probing wind

    The level of wind penetration in Ireland is one of the highest in Europe. This has already had some major impacts on the market, including depressed wholesale prices; reduced running hours for some thermal plants; and curtailment of wind output. This week’s blog considers wider interactions of wind generation with...