SONI

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    System operators warn of System Alerts risk this winter

    EirGrid and SONI issued their Winter Outlook for 2020-21 on 15 October in which they warned that if high generator forced outage rates continue over the winter period there is a risk of System Alerts. The transmission system operators (TSOs) said the all-island capacity margin this winter is predicted to be 929MW...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    EirGrid and SONI assess future demand and generation landscape

    Transmission system operators (TSOs) EirGrid and SONI have issued the All-Island Generation Capacity Statement 2020-29 that sets out expected electricity demand together with the level of generation capacity that will be required over the next ten years.  Issued on 27 August, the Statement said RoI demand is increasing, and is forecast...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Changes: Demand falling in SEM

    With the unexpected arrival of coronavirus there has been significant a shift in human behaviour. We are now two weeks removed from the Irish Government’s instruction to close schools and message advising businesses to allow employees work from home where possible, we wonder what has the impact been on energy...

  • Net zero corporates and ESG

    Editor’s Pick Ireland | Clean Energy Package: what does it really mean?

    The Capacity Market Code removes or restricts payments to fossil fuel generators and allows cross border participation in Capacity markets, arising from the Clean Energy Package (CEP). We look at some of the other potential changes in the way EirGrid and SONI operate our energy system arising from the implementation of the...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Tilted – high pricing in the Balancing Market

    Since the launch of the new SEM market a topic which has undergone a great deal of scrutiny, discussion and investigation (not least by Cornwall Insight Ireland) has concerned the Balancing Market, and specifically how the balancing price (aka Imbalance Settlement Price) is calculated.  The latest twist in the tale...

  • Low carbon generation

    Old friends: the hidden good side of the EU

    As uncertainty around Brexit continues, it is important to reiterate some of the work that the EU and European Commission (EC) carries out behind the scenes of the energy industry. In particular, this week we look at the EU Sysflex project, which is being led by EirGrid and SONI, having...

  • Energy storage and flexibility

    Local hero: constraints and security of supply

    Security of supply is back on the agenda. Last week saw the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) publish its Electricity Security of Supply Report 2018. Replicating the analysis from the long-awaited All-Island Generation Capacity Statement 2018-2027 (GCS), it showed Ireland facing potential deficits within the next 6-9 years. The very same...

  • 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...

  • Low carbon generation

    Capacity Remuneration Mechanism in Ireland

    Energy Spectrum Ireland comment On 20 December 2017 EirGrid and SONI published the provisional Capacity Auction results for the 2018-19 Capacity Remuneration Mechanism (CRM) T-1 auction, held on the 15th December 2017. Subject to approval the Regulatory Authorities, the final results at a Capacity Market Unit level will be published...