45 minute read
Director of Energy Strategy for the North Thomas Byrne discusses policy options
Delivering an Energy Strategy
Ahead of the publication of Northern Ireland’s Energy Strategy later in 2021, David Whelan speaks to the Department for the Economy’s (DfE) Director for Energy Strategy, Thomas Byrne.
In July 2021, the window for response to the policy options consultation paper for the new Energy Strategy closed, bringing Northern Ireland one step closer to a new vision for energy in the wider context of global decarbonisation.
The Strategy and, potentially more critically, its associated action plan, have been scheduled for publication before the end of the year, with the Department currently working through the range of responses it received during the consultation.
Byrne, who has led the development of the Strategy and various stakeholder and consumer outreach initiatives in recent years, is pleased with the levels of engagement, highlighting the almost 8,000 views recorded on the consultation page, as well as nearly 4,000 downloads of the document and 282 responses, over a three-month period.
Tellingly, given the emphasis that Byrne and his team have placed on ensuring the consultation captured as broad a base as possible, around 50 per cent of responses came directly from domestic and business consumers.
With the Department now working through those responses to inform the Strategy and its relevant policies, Byrne is confident that its delivery and that of the associated action plan remains on track, despite the impact of the pandemic.
In fact, the Director believes that the past two years of the pandemic has placed a greater onus on the importance of the Strategy, as well as increasing interest in it.
“The Strategy has always been an important piece of policy, but I believe its reach across society is broader now than ever before,” he says. “Firstly, because the awareness of the impact of climate change and the need to take action is higher. The Strategy covers around two-thirds of emissions here in Northern Ireland and I think that puts a lot of strategic focus on what we are doing. “Secondly, the impact of the pandemic means that we are trying to rebuild an economy that can be sustainable for the long-term. One of our guiding principles is for the growth of a green economy, the success of which will be founded on our net-zero ambitions.”
Byrne points out that ambitions for green growth features in a breadth of fresh government policies, ranging from the draft Programme for Government outcomes through to DfE’s 10X economic vision and Economic Recovery Action Plan; areas where energy policy may not have traditionally featured but is now playing a central role.
Action plan
Outlining what is set to be unveiled, Byrne describes the Strategy as a “high-level strategic look at the direction of travel, focused on the period up to 2030, as part of the longer journey to 2050”. However, he is also aware of stakeholder demand for delivery and to this end, he points to
the action plan, which he describes as establishing the “short-term immediate measures which we want to take”.
The Energy Strategy Director emphasises the likelihood of an annual review process to be built into the action plan, which in turn will enable the Strategy to be updated as new evidence becomes available.
“Something we have heard loud and clear from stakeholders is that while they are pleased with the work we are doing on the Strategy, our energy transition is also about delivery, and they want to have confidence in what we are planning to do. That is the reason behind our development of a high-level strategic vision, complimented by a more detailed action plan.”
Energy target
Interestingly, Northern Ireland’s Energy Strategy is likely to emerge before the region’s climate targets are established in law. Northern Ireland, as the only region of the UK without its own climate legislation, is in the unique position of having two separate climate bills progressing through the Assembly.
Byrne is quick to point out that the outcome of climate legislation is unlikely to impact the net-zero ambitions being pursued in relation to energy, although the timescales to achieving this goal may differ.
“Our direction is net-zero carbon for energy, which is in line with the CCC advice and indeed, both bills coming forward in the Assembly.”
The policy options paper identified five principles for the new Energy Strategy. These are:
• placing you at the heart of our energy future;
• growing a green economy;
• doing more with less;
• replacing fossil fuels with indigenous renewables; and
• creating a flexible and integrated energy system.
Byrne confirms the assumption that a consumer-centred approach was intentionally marked as the first principle, highlighting that while the Energy Strategy can be a major enabler of Northern Ireland’s energy transition, consumers will essentially dictate the scale of the transition.
“We cannot reach our vision of reaching net zero carbon and affordable energy without consumers and people at the heart,” he states. “Only part of this transition will be about technology, and it is ultimately going to be decisions by people and consumers that define success, whether that is around investing in buildings, or the energy they use for heating systems or transport.
“That is why a big part of our work is around ensuring that they have both the knowledge and buy-in to signal the decisions that will be needed in the future.”
Pre-strategy
The Director emphasises a point made in the policy options paper that the Department will not wait for the publication of the new Strategy to progress urgent issues. The Department’s recently announced Economic Recovery Action Plan included £20 million of green recovery intervention.
Byrne says that he and his team have been keen to offer clear signals to the renewables industry around their intentions, highlighting the need to kickstart projects and investments, where possible, ahead of the Strategy’s publication.
He points to former Economy Minister Diane Dodds MLA’s announcement in 2020 that any new target in the Energy Strategy would not be below 70 per cent renewable electricity by 2030, as a good example of how the Department has sought to offer direction to industry prior to the Strategy’s consultation.
Similarly, and more recently, Byrne says that the £5 million allocation of funding to NI Water to trial electrolyser technology for the production of hydrogen and oxygen, alongside key statements on the opportunities presented by the development of a hydrogen economy for Northern Ireland, has been welcomed.
Asked what he identifies as the areas of maximum opportunity when the Strategy is published, Byrne is quick to point out that some technologies being discussed today are still between 10 and 15 years away from being scalable. To this end, he points to two areas he believes can have a massive impact in the short term: energy efficiency and renewable electricity.
“Energy efficiency has to be at the heart the Energy Strategy. It is not just about decarbonising energy; it is also about reducing the amount we use. That is why one of our principles is about doing more with less. We want to have a really strong strategic focus on driving energy efficiency. It is a no-brainer and something we must do no matter what the technologies are.”
On renewable electricity, he adds: “We have already had significant success in meeting our renewable electricity targets. We have excellent wind resources and the technologies in this area are generally well-established and proven and so, giving that signal to industry and putting in place the mechanisms we need to bring forward investment in these two areas is something we will look to do at the earliest opportunity.”
Byrne says that an early focus on these two areas will allow for Northern Ireland to position itself well for technologies of the future, but also ensure that the region is not reliant on them.
“When we do publish the Strategy later 4
this year, you will see that focus on low and ‘no regret’ technologies which we know will work, alongside a continuation to move forward on those more uncertain technologies of the future.”
Affordability
Key to any strategic vision for what technologies will take Northern Ireland to net-zero carbon is affordability for consumers. Byrne says that inclusion of affordability upfront in the Strategy’s vision is key, highlighting that the transition is not only about enabling consumer participation in energy but also about consumer protection, particularly those viewed as the most vulnerable.
“The CCC’s long-term view is that investment in renewable technologies will lead to a system that is cheaper in the long term. However, that is going to take time to get to that point and one of the key strategic questions, not just for Northern Ireland but for every government trying to reach decarbonisation targets, is where do we target that investment? What are the most cost-effective routes? And ultimately, who pays?”
To this end, Byrne points to a focus on energy efficiency as something that will have a tangible impact on reducing consumer bills. Additionally, he believes that economic benefits will be made through a strategic focus on Northern Ireland’s indigenous energy sources, and a move away from importing fossil fuels.
“It is not that indigenous renewables are necessarily cheaper than fossil fuels but our reliance on importing fossil fuels means that consumers remain at the mercy of international markets. Taking control through use of our own natural resources and investing in technologies to support that will mean that any investment we make will be retained within the Northern Ireland economy.”
Flexibility
Although the Department is set to deliver a strategic vision, Byrne is keen to acknowledge the levels of flexibility built into the strategy. The Director says that the “living, breathing document” will undoubtedly need revisited and updated, most likely on an annual basis.
Supports
A key question being asked by stakeholders concerns the form of supports coming forward to facilitate behavioural change. Byrne stresses that the initial strategy is about establishing what Northern Ireland hopes to achieve and what technologies it can progress, which can then be followed by supports as mechanisms to deliver on that vision. However, he points to green innovation, bringing forward low-carbon technologies to be developed in Northern Ireland to support a green economy, as one area of focus. Additionally, he says that the expansion of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, being utilised in Great Britain, is under consideration for supporting renewable electricity in Northern Ireland. Finally, he points ongoing consideration of how consumers can be best supported to invest in their own buildings and, in particular, tailoring that support to who needs it most.
However, Byrne concedes that as we look to less-established technologies, such as heat pumps and decarbonised gas, there is still work to be done around cost and what supports will be needed to encourage consumer and industry investment.
“Support is an important part of the conversation, but it is only one facet. Behavioural change and changes to regulations and standards will be vital to driving as well. Ultimately, it is about finding the cleverest and most costeffective way of meeting our objectives.
“We want to use the Strategy as the starting point of a range of consultations and engagements so we meet those objectives and I imagine supports will be a part of most of those conversations,” says Byrne.
The Director acknowledges that the regulatory regime in Northern Ireland must be right for new technologies to emerge. He is pleased that the Utility Regulator and the Consumer Council have been closely involved in the development of the Strategy, ensuring that consumers’ interests are at its heart.
Cost
Concluding on whether he feels that the Strategy will be allocated the necessary funding to fulfil its ambition in an economic climate of pressurised departmental budgets, Byrne points to an intention for the Strategy to be an Executive document, rather than owned solely by one department.
“The fact is that energy policy is spread across multiple departments,” he states, adding: “We have developed the consultation on the basis of all the departments working together to produce the Strategy, with it coming forward as an Executive document. That gives it the wide political cover and support in terms of what we want to do.
“However, while there is an obvious role for government, it is also worth noting that the private sector will have a big role in this as well. We need to continue the conversations around how we best stimulate the private sector to make these investments.”
Byrne does not have a firmer target date than the suggested publication of the Strategy before the end of the year, however, he does state that the Department will look at any opportunities to publish the strategy sooner. COP26, set to be held in Glasgow in early November 2021, represents an opportunity for Northern Ireland to announce its vision for energy.
Digitalisation of the energy sector: The future is smart!
In the past decade we have seen a number of industries revolutionised by the digitalisation of their data, processes and operations. Banking, transport, healthcare, and entertainment sectors have embraced the digital era and interest is now focused on the digitalisation of the energy sector, writes Le-ann Campbell, Associate Solicitor, Carson McDowell.
There is wide consensus that digitalisation will play an essential role in achieving the net zero targets set by many of the world’s leading economies. However, there is considerable doubt around how it will be achieved and fears that governments and industry are not moving quickly enough to establish the infrastructure and technology needed to support a smart, low carbon energy system.
Energy policy is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, but policy, markets, systems, and infrastructure are complex and interconnected, which means that the UK Government continues to play an important role, both directly and indirectly, in shaping the local electricity and renewables sector.
July of this year saw the publication of the Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan 2021 by the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and regulator OFGEM, alongside the UK’s first Energy Digitalisation Strategy, which set out the actions needed to transition to a fully digitised energy system.
Initiatives outlined include the standardisation of smart energy appliances and electric vehicle charge points, a clearer regulatory framework for storage and interconnectors and ideas on how to harness data to make a flexible system work.
The ambition to digitalise is clear, but as BEIS notes throughout the Strategy, the scale and speed of change required presents a number of complex challenges to be overcome, including cyber security, data protection and GDPR risks. Increased digitalisation of the energy system will bring new cyber security threats and require proper countermeasures to be in place. Risks are expected to arise in the transition from older technologies in legacy control systems designed when cybersecurity was not part of the technical specifications for the system, potentially leading to safety issues and even blackouts.
We expect the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy, due to be published by the Department for the Economy (DfE) by the end of 2021 to address many of the same challenges. DfE has said that energy users are of central importance to the future strategy and its digital transition aims to enable and protect energy consumers. DfE has vowed to create a flexible and integrated energy system to provide value for consumers and enhance energy security.
If digitalisation and targets are to be achieved, it is vital that substantial investment is made into Northern Ireland’s electricity grid, and sooner rather than later. Evidence clearly shows that a smarter, more flexible system will utilise technologies such as energy storage and flexible demand to integrate high volumes of low carbon power, heat and transport and reach a carbon neutral future. We hope the new Energy Strategy delivers on the ambition needed coupled with appropriate investment to revolutionise the energy system in Northern Ireland.
If you have any queries relating to any of the matters mentioned in this article or for more information on how Carson McDowell can assist your business, please contact Le-ann Campbell from the Energy team.
T: +44 (0)77 8644 4039 E: le-ann.campbell@carson-mcdowell.com W: www.carson-mcdowell.com/
magazine renewable energy Community generation: Winning hearts and minds
A pledge to increase the number of community-owned renewable electricity generation projects in the coming years by Environment, Climate and Communications Minister, Eamon Ryan TD, has been supported by the publication of a new Community Enabling Framework.
The publication of the Framework comes ahead of the of the Government’s second onshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS-2) auction, where the number the number of community-based projects is expected to increase significantly.
In 2020, Ireland’s first ever renewable energy support scheme (RESS-1) saw seven community energy projects included in the awarding of supports to 82 electricity projects. At the time the award was recognised as the first step in a move towards incentivising community involvement in the energy transition.
The Programme for Government (PfG) commits to a ‘renewables revolution’, recognising the challenges associated with a national ambition of at least 70 per cent renewable electricity by 2030. The PfG stated that communities “will play their part”.
While community renewable electricity projects will be an important part of increasing overall renewable electricity generation, the reality is that such projects are likely to form only a small percentage of future generation.
Instead, the Government has recognised the potential benefits of increasing the levels of community buy-in to what will be required if Ireland is to hit its renewable target. The incentivising of community generation also goes beyond community benefit funding announced under RESS-1, where communities can benefit from renewable electricity project acceptance and instead encourages their active participation in the transition.
‘Winning the hearts and minds’ of communities and consumers, driving behavioural change, is arguably the Government’s greatest challenge in reaching its renewable electricity targets.
“Future auctions will very much concentrate and try to support that community ownership development because it’s vital that if we are to have this as a just transition, that we’ve got public support for what we have to do,” Minister Ryan said after the RESS-1 award.
In February 2021, the Minister outlined a new requirement to ensure community projects must be 100 per cent communityowned to gain 15-year support in the RESS.
RESS-2, focusing on onshore wind and solar generation, was originally expected to run in 2021 but is likely to be delayed until early 2022 as the Department also looks to stage Ireland’s first offshore wind auction in the same timeframe.
In July 2021, the Minister signalled an intention to help communities build expertise ahead of RESS-2. Included in a package of new measures, the Minister announced:
• targeted supports for communities who want to develop their own renewable projects;
• Good Practice Principles to ensure communities benefit from funds generated by other renewable energy projects in their locality; and
• a new Steering Board to guide the development of the community energy sector.
“We have seen in other countries, like Germany, that direct citizen and community involvement in the green energy revolution both benefits communities and builds support for the radical transformation we need to make to reach our climate goals,” said Ryan.
“We’ve already seen seven community projects, (five solar and two wind projects) succeed in our first Renewable Energy Support Scheme auction. I want to build on this by providing communities with the expertise they need to develop more of these projects.”
The Minister set out that the Community Enabling Framework would assist and support communities through the complex process of electricity generation and provide a range of technical and financial supports at the various stages in the life-cycle of a renewable project.
“The framework will de-risk the project development process for communities and will drive delivery on our ambitious community energy targets,” he added.
Alongside targeted supports for communities, the Department has published the RESS-1 Community Benefit Fund Good Practice Principles Handbook. RESS mandates all RESS projects to establish a Community Benefit Fund worth €2/MWh of generation. It is estimated that some €4 million will be spent on sustainable community initiatives in close proximity to RESS-1 projects each year. A third aspect of the new support package is the establishment of the RESS Community Steering Board, bringing together “a distinguished panel of experience and academic achievement in the fields of renewable energy and in community engagement and activism in Ireland”.
Speaking before the first meeting of the board, Minister Ryan said: “Communities developing their own electricity generation projects is a new and exciting sector in our energy system. I want to ensure communities have a say in directing how this sector evolves. I have established a Steering Board, which includes several community representatives and advocates, as well as academic experts, to advise me on policy and implementation.”
The Framework has been developed with the aim to encourage other communities to follow the lead if the seven community projects successful in the first RESS auction, which are outlined overleaf. 4
The RESS Community Steering Board’s membership is comprised of:
• Department of the Environment,
Climate and Communications — policy • Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) — grid policy • ESB Networks — grid delivery • EirGrid — grid delivery • Sustainable Energy Authority of
Ireland (SEAI) — implementation • Department of Rural and Community
Development (DRCD) — community advocate, Government • County and City Management
Association (CCMA) — community advocate, Local Government • energy4all — community energy advocate, Scotland • seven representatives from the academic and community sectors
Supply of energy a concern
As we head into the autumn and winter months the lifting of restrictions and the much-needed return to social life, there is concern within the energy industry in relation to disruption in supply. Colm McGrath, Managing Director of Surety Bonds, assesses whether this is a short-term issue or if we are looking at a long-term global issue.
Ireland is not the only country with an energy crisis, nor the only country that needs to invest vastly in infrastructure. With the fastest growing economy in Europe and a growing population, current infrastructure is creaking under the pressure and it is not sustainable.
Some 55 per cent of the world’s population live in cities and this growing trend is mirrored in Ireland but without the supporting investment by government in sustainable energy supply which makes living in cities attractive.
Covid has changed the way we work and many of us will have a blended home/office working life which puts additional pressure on where and when energy is required. Further issues arise with working from home and that is the additional need for data centres. As many companies move their IT infrastructure to the cloud, data centres demand huge amounts of energy and along with other large energy users, are predicted to make up 27 per cent of Ireland’s overall consumption by 2030.
While 2008 to 2016 was a time of serious budget constraint, this should have been the time Ireland and the rest of the EU invested in renewable energy infrastructure in order to lift economies. Alas, we did not and we now find ourselves competing against other larger nations for much needed renewable energy projects.
The incentive now, however, is for governments and private companies to invest in such projects as money has never been cheaper. With quantitative easing globally supported by central banks, in order to support governments stepping in to stabilise markets, which were closed due to public health restrictions, along with negative interest rates, this has created an opportunity for governments to deliver long-postponed projects.
In the US alone, $2 trillion of much needed investment in 20,000km of roads, 10,000 bridges, schools, the green agenda and much more, it’s going to be boom time in infrastructural spend, which should last a decade or more. The US is not the only country where this is happening, which is fantastic, particularly for companies in the construction and engineering sectors. However, there are downsides. Upward pressure on pricing will have to filter through to these projects and therefore onto the consumer. In the short-term capacity constraints could also damage Ireland’s reputation with foreign direct investors, this must be mitigated at all cost.
In conclusion, it is imperative that stakeholders along the value chain, individual companies, the industry as a whole and the Government should take action to move the energy industry forward. The Government, as a key project owner should create a fertile environment for the transformation of this sector. There have been too many missed key milestones which have cost Ireland financially in the form of fines, but that is the least of our worries.
The need for rapid change in how we supply and use energy is inescapable.
Colm McGrath, Managing Director Surety Bonds
T: 071 962 3228 E: colm@suretybonds.ie W: www.suretybonds.ie
DP Energy, leading Ireland to a cleaner renewable future
DP Energy CEO Simon De Pietro
Combining the talents of Buttevant and Bilbao
Earlier this year, DP Energy entered into a joint venture with global renewable energy leader Iberdrola to develop DP Energy’s 3GW Irish offshore wind portfolio. Both companies are focused on decarbonisation, and ultimately achieving a genuinely green economy.
The portfolio consists of three offshore wind projects, each with potential capacity of 1GW. This includes the Inis Ealga Marine Energy Park off the south coast of Ireland and Clarus Offshore Wind Farm off the coast of Clare, with both utilising floating technology. The third project is Shelmalere Offshore Wind Farm off the east coast, utilising fixedbottom technology.
At the forefront of Ireland’s journey towards a more sustainable future is Cork-based renewable energy developer, DP Energy.
The company, based in Buttevant, County Cork, is led by co-founders Maureen and Simon De Pietro, a mother and son partnership.
DP Energy has a 30-year history of developing renewable energy assets worldwide including projects across Ireland, the UK, Canada and Australia. Currently, the company has a global portfolio of over 5GW projects spanning onshore wind, solar, offshore wind, and ocean energy technologies.
It was Blue Planet, the 1990 IMAX film which was a ‘lightbulb moment’ for the De Pietros, with the film depicting the fragility of the planet’s ecology and climate. For them, it was evidence of the damage caused by deforestation, pollution and in particular carbon emissions.
Since then, the De Pietros have grown DP Energy into a leader in the Irish and global renewable energy sphere.
In addition to being CEO of DP Energy, Simon is also Co-President of Ocean Energy Europe, a Board member of Marine Renewables Canada and a member of the Wind Energy Ireland Council.
POLICY, A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
2021 has seen major development in Irish policy, in particular with the Maritime Area Planning Bill recently published, along with the National Marine Planning Framework. DP Energy welcomes this much called for reform of marine governance which gives clarity to a new consenting procedure for foreshore licences and offshore infrastructure planning. The establishment of the Marine Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) will further provide the clarity of process and transparency needed to enable the push towards Net Zero by 2050.
Upon completion, each project will provide enough clean green energy to provide electricity for up to one million Irish homes every year.
DP Energy is already partnered with Iberdrola on its hybrid 320MW wind and solar Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park currently under construction in South Australia.
Achieving Ireland’s climate objectives
In order to achieve Ireland’s targets to reduce CO2 emissions by 51 per cent by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050, the transition to renewable energy is key.
The Climate Change 2021 report recently issued by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) painted a stark picture of the world’s climate crisis and the urgency of the need to accelerate decarbonisation. The development of renewable energy plays a critical role in the stabilising of the earth’s climate. Further reporting by the Environmental Protection Agency, The Marine Institute and Met Eireann echoes the IPCC report supporting the importance of renewables in the race for climate stabilisation. DP Energy, through its development of onshore and offshore projects, aims to play a significant role in helping to realise Ireland’s ambitious carbon reduction targets and play a part in global decarbonisation objectives.
Onshore wind and solar
Whilst large scale offshore wind projects can deliver significant volumes of renewable energy and has a huge role to play in our future energy mix, onshore wind and solar PV also have a parallel role to play in the race to decarbonise. DP Energy is developing both ‘offshore wind scale’ multi hundred MW wind and solar projects onshore in Australia and Canada (including a 450MW wind project in mid Queensland, and a 325MW solar project in Alberta) and smaller distribution scale projects (sub 50MW) across both of these markets. DP Energy believes there is a need for a balance of generation asset sizes at different levels within the electricity network and a balance of technologies. At a smaller scale, DP Energy is actively supporting the proposed Buttevant Solar Farm, a 5MW community led project. Such local renewable projects enable people to engage directly with the technology, and contribute directly to our mutual decarbonisation goal and should be an important part of the renewables mix.
Ocean energy
DP Energy has taken a similarly early position in ocean energy, as it did in with wind in the early 1990s and, as the technology matures, the company sees significant future opportunities for wave energy, particularly on Ireland’s west coast.
DP Energy’s first ocean energy venture, the Uisce Tapa tidal project located in the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, is expected to enter construction in 2023. DP Energy has recently signed a Joint Development Agreement for the project with two significant Japanese companies, Chubu Electric Power and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line). The 9MW project utilises the 1.5MW Andritz tidal turbine technology already demonstrated in Scotland and is expected to deliver predictable energy (independent of wind and sun) for many years.
The Uisce Tapa project reinforces DP Energy’s position as a leader in the implementation of innovative new renewable energy technologies and is an essential learning step leading to commercial scale projects in Europe, Canada and elsewhere. This includes its broader plans for developing wave energy in parallel with floating wind technology off the West Coast of Ireland.
Beyond simple generation
Beyond the development of standalone wind and solar generation assets, DP Energy is an enthusiastic believer in blending multiple renewable technologies into hybrid systems (such as wind/solar and wind/wave). This maximises the grid integration potential of the technologies and increases the value of the power to the system. Improving the generation profile with blended technologies naturally leads to the addition of energy storage (such as pumped hydro, battery storage) to shift the generation and shape the profile (as well as provide other system services). The use of conversion technologies such as hydrogen further enhances this by not only providing a long-term storage solution but also an alternative means of energy distribution or export.
The DP Energy team in Ireland has expanded significantly over the past 24 months, both to deliver its Irish offshore development ambitions and to support its broader goals across the other jurisdictions in which it operates.
Conclusion
DP Energy has been an early mover in onshore wind energy in Ireland since the 1990s and is enthusiastic to continue to support the acceleration of Irish renewable energy through its offshore wind plans with Iberdrola. Ultimately, DP Energy anticipates Ireland will become not only self-sufficient in energy thus increasing our energy security, but also a major exporter through electrons and also hydrogen. This small island has significant potential with its vast offshore resources to punch well above its weight in terms of contribution to world carbon reduction.
More information can be found on www.dpenergy.com.
The future of anaerobic digestion in Ireland
With pressure on the agriculture sector, which accounts for 33 per cent of Ireland’s carbon emissions to reform its emissions, performances, anaerobic digestion is touted as one of the most high-profile solutions. While concrete plans for its use have yet to be settled in Ireland, there are many examples elsewhere of how it can aid decarbonisation and diversify the income streams of farmers.
The 2020s are seen as a crucial decade for the development of anaerobic digestion (AD) in Ireland; similar to Northern Ireland, which has already seen encouraging uptake of the method, the Republic’s abundance of livestock and the availability of manures make it an ideal location for the process.
Options for the use of the biogas that AD produces, as included in the SEAI’s 2020 on-farm guide to AD, include the combustion of the biogas for use in gas boilers to create heat for things such as hot water or high temperature steam. It can also be used to power gas engines that produce electricity, or electricity and gas, which combine to make combined heat and power (CHP). Another use for the biogas is to upgrade it to the standard required for the gas grid, turning it into biomethane, which can be injected into a local or national gas grid, used in portable compressed gas containers or as a vehicle fuel.
The SEAI lists the benefits of the use of farm-based AD as: recycling of farm wastes into a valuable fertiliser (digestate); reduction of farm-based environmental issues, such air pollution from manures; reduction of the negative impact of farming on national environmental targets; provision of a renewable energy source (biogas) for farm use; cost savings on chemical fertiliser and energy purchases; and potential offering of additional farm income streams from sale of excess electricity or heat. Income diversification has become a key selling point to farmers interested in AD; those in the Republic have seen their counterparts in Northern Ireland benefit from its use and contrast it to the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, where it is felt in the agricultural sector that farmer engagement is simply seen as a means to asset development.
Around 19,000 AD plants are operational in Europe, producing 167 TWh of biogas per year, with the vast majority of these plants producing biogas for combustion to generate renewable electricity and receiving subsidies. In terms of biomethane production, which is broadly seen as the future of AD in Europe, the natural gas substitute is currently produced in 725 plants across 18 European countries, producing 26 TWh per year. The countries with the highest amounts of biomethane plants are Germany (232), France (131), and the UK (80).
The European Biogas Association (EBA) predicts that biogas and biomethane production in Europe could double by 2030 and more than quadruple by 2050, with 467 TWh produced across Europe per year by 2030. To match this ambition, the Irish Government estimates that 20 per cent of the current natural gas demand could be met by biomethane by 2030 with the correct supports in place. What form those supports could take remains to be seen, much to the frustration of the Irish agricultural sector.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have recognised that bioenergy is the largest current contributor to renewable energy across the world. The IPCC strongly highlights the role that bioenergy can play in carbon removal as well as in the development of bioenergy-based fuel alternatives for fossil fuels.
While bioenergy deployment in Ireland is significantly lagging behind Europe, the Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) strongly articulates the potential which exists. A blind spot exists in Irish policy and support towards bioenergy compared to other renewable technologies. There are multi-sectoral benefits associated with the sector which are not valued including rural development, indigenous generated energy, the bioeconomy, enhancing biodiversity and agricultural diversification. The Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH) supports renewable heat used in industry while ensuring that biomass is sourced through sustainable forest management
as governed by strict criteria in the RED II Directive.
Fossil fuels can be displaced with indigenous resources such as biogas, bioliquids, energy crops, woodchip and firewood. To grow the sector, mobilising finance is a key enabler. Many stakeholders note that there is an abundance of capital available but that the Irish policy and regulatory landscape is seen as an impediment to the development of bioenergy projects.
The scale of the challenge in meeting emission reduction targets is enormous. None of the solutions proposed today will get us to where we need to be by 2050. There is a need to focus on pragmatism over ideology and recognising that all renewable technologies have a part to play. Specifically, a 40 per cent renewable heat target by 2030 should be enshrined in government policy as per the Renewable Energy Ireland (REI) 40by30 report. Solid biomass and biogas can do the heavy lifting in decarbonising heat across all sectors but particularly in the high temperature heat range. This can complement the ambitious targets for low temperature heat decarbonisation using heat pumps.
The Biofuels Obligation Scheme delivered 520,000 tonnes of CO2 savings in 2020. Biofuel blending levels in petrol and diesel fuels need to be significantly increased. Biogas can aid agricultural emission reduction, through capturing the gas produced by slurries and farm residues using Anaerobic Digestion technology and using the resulting digestate to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers. The policy and regulatory environment needs to assist in mobilising this industry.
With investment, support and the right policy framework the potential of bioenergy to assist in decarbonising Ireland can be realised.
Seán Finan B.E C.Eng MIEI
IrBEA CEO
Irish Bioenergy Association
Who Are We?
IrBEA was founded in 1999 and is the representative body for the bioenergy industry on the island of Ireland. IrBEA works on behalf of its members across the bioenergy sectors of biomass, biogas, biofuels, biochar, woodfuels and energy crops. IrBEA is recognised by Government and key stakeholders as the voice of the Bioenergy industry.
The organisation is one of the founding members of Renewable Energy Ireland and is affiliated to Bioenergy Europe and the European Biogas Association (EBA). The organisation’s activities are managed by the CEO assisted by a small executive staff team. IrBEA is governed by a Board of Directors which includes an elected President and Vice President. Policy direction is provided by a Management Committee and specific subcommittees.
IrBEA manages and administers the Wood Fuel Quality Assurance Scheme (WFQA) and is currently involved in a number of Bioenergy Research and Development projects on biogas and biochar. IrBEA administers a register of Biomass Designers and Biomass installers. Full details on www.irbea.org
Our membership
The diverse membership includes farmers and foresters, fuel suppliers, energy development companies, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, engineers, financiers and tax advisers, legal firms, consultants, planners, research organisations, local authorities, education, and advisory bodies – anyone with an interest in the bioenergy industry.
Our mission and objectives:
INFLUENCE
• Influence policy makers to promote the development of bioenergy
PROMOTE
• Promote and represent the interests of members
IMPROVE
• Improve public awareness of bioenergy as a realistic option for renewable energy supply
NETWORK
• Networking and information sharing among those interested in bioenergy development
LIAISE
• Liaise with similar interest groups and stakeholders
PROJECTS
• Promote the implementation of bioenergy projects
magazine renewable energy Anaerobic digestion in Northern Ireland
Following the publication of policy options for Northern Ireland’s upcoming Energy Strategy, David Whelan looks at the potential future role of anaerobic digestion (AD) technology and biogases in decarbonisation ambitions.
In autumn 2021, the UK Government will launch a Green Gas support scheme for AD-produced biomethane injected into the gas grid. The scheme, however, will be applicable only in Great Britain.
Despite the uptake of AD technology being significantly greater in Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland has three and a half times as many AD-based generating stations per square kilometre as Great Britain), leading it to be described as the UK’s hotspot for AD, the technologies role in Northern Ireland’s decarbonisation ambitions has yet to be defined.
AD has been recognised as having a role to play in Northern Ireland’s drive towards net zero carbon, especially in a scenario where policy decisionmakers opt for a high gasification approach, whereby biomethane and hydrogen eventually replace natural gas in the grid infrastructure. However, the extent of the role it will play and the supports available to encourage growth will depend largely on the shape the Energy Strategy set to be published by the Department for the Economy later this year.
Anaerobic digestion is a process whereby biomass feedstock is broken down in the absence of oxygen, producing methane and carbon dioxide in the form of biogas. Biogas can be combusted to generate electricity and/or heat (combined heat and power).
Despite a high animal stocking density, meaning Northern Ireland enjoys a wealth of animal waste feedstock in comparison to the rest of the UK, initial uptake of AD technology in Northern Ireland was slow when compared to Great Britain. However, the decision for Northern Ireland not to fast follow Great Britain in closing and subsequently reducing financial support schemes, meant that Northern Ireland became the most attractive region in the UK for AD investment.
Currently, the vast majority of AD facilities in Northern Ireland are farmbased. The UK’s biogas map shows that in June 2019 there were 76 operational AD facilities in Northern Ireland, the majority of which (64) predominantly use agricultural feedstock, with the remaining 12 using municipal, commercial, and industrial
waste as feedstock. Out of the 76 AD facilities, 57 use a mix of animal byproducts and energy crops and silage to feed their ADs.
The biogas being generated in Northern Ireland is largely used for onsite combined heat and power, however, increasingly, surplus electricity is sold to export suppliers. While undoubtedly the use of biogas for heat and power has a role to play in Northern Ireland’s decarbonisation, most people recognise that its greatest potential impact could be facilitating the injection of upgraded biogas (biomethane) into the existing natural gas grid.
Injection
As well as plans in the UK, other European countries including Germany, France, Italy, and Denmark are already utilising AD-supplied biomethane in their national grids. However, injection of biomethane is currently not being undertaken in Northern Ireland.
A number of challenges stand in the way of the viability of policy that encourages the uptake of biomethane generation technology as a means to decarbonise Northern Ireland’s gas network. The first is the scale of the impact a fully decarbonised gas system (using both biomethane and hydrogen) would have. Currently almost 70 per cent of homes in Northern Ireland and a significant number of businesses still rely on oil for heating. The Utility Regulator estimates that 65 per cent of properties in the region will be connected to the gas grid by 2023 but even if achieved, a significant portion could still rely on fossil fuel for heat, unless an electrified solution is found.
A second challenge is the potential push towards electrification for heat, which could reduce the need for future expansion of the gas grid. The Department for the Economy, in preparation for its Energy Strategy is currently reviewing the costs and benefits of biogas and biomethane, seeking to identify the potential scale or local biogas production, commercial viability, potential additional support and wider environmental and sustainability measures needed. However, a recently produced policy options paper spelled out numerous scenarios for consideration. agriculture base can support the growth of biogas and that Northern Ireland’s modern gas network is more suitable for zero carbon gas than older networks, however, it states that in a scenario whereby high electrification is targeted (100 per cent RES-E by 2050), heat pumps provide the majority of heat supplied in the domestic and services sector, complimented by high levels of energy efficiency.
Such a scenario would negate the expansion of the current gas network and locally produced biogas and hydrogen would aid the network in playing a small role supplementing heat pumps.
However, this is not the case in a high gasification scenario, whereby a greater focus on gas means the network is fully decarbonised with a mix of hydrogen and biogas and is expanded to reach a larger percentage of the population.
The UK advisory body, the Climate Change Committee on assessing the role of biomethane in Northern Ireland described it as a “low-regret option” and recommends continued government support.
Further challenges to AD technology in Northern Ireland exist in the form of public opposition. Although mainly aimed at larger AD facilities, public opposition has been raised in relation to environmental, noise and odour concerns for potential projects in the likes of Omagh, Newtownabbey and Belfast.
Wider concerns have been raised around the environmental impact of incentivising the uptake of AD generation particularly in relation to ammonia. Emissions from ammonia, a source of nitrogen, are increased when large amounts of silage and some litters are stored on site or spread, and nitrogen can cause damage to ecosystems and waterways.
As a result of its agricultural sector, Northern Ireland already produces the UK’s highest ammonia emissions (12 per cent) of any region despite having only 3 per cent of the population and 6 per cent of the UK land area.
Greater rollout of AD technology could negate the need for Northern Ireland to export large amounts of its animal waste, as is the case currently. The Republic of Ireland is Northern Ireland’s main export market for excess animal waste and concern has been raised that while the Northern Ireland Protocol enables this export channel to remain open, any cessation of the Protocol would present a challenge in how to manage excess waste. Higher levels of AD technology reduce the amount of waste that needs to be exported.
AD technology has a greater role to play in Northern Ireland’s energy mix than is currently the case, however, two factors will largely define to what extent it is scaled up across Northern Ireland. The first is what supports are made available through policy and this is likely to be defined through the publication of the energy strategy. The second is the extent to which gas grid injection of biomethane is facilitated.
Standards for climate action: Where green innovation meets policy
Now is the time for policy makers and public and private sector organisations to realise the vital role standards play in securing a sustainable future.
The value of developing and implementing technical standards has been recognised for decades. Standardised products and processes help the global economy to run smoothly and efficiently, promoting best practice across many industries. Standards on safety have also improved the health and wellbeing of billions of people around the globe. Now, the greatest challenge faced by humanity is the threat of irreversible climate change. Standards can also play a key role in this arena, helping us meet our ambitious climate targets.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 sets Ireland on a legally binding path to net-zero emissions by 2050. Among Ireland’s government agencies who will be responsible for supporting the Act is the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), who will provide vital support through the creation of standards in various subject areas. Harnessing the power of standards, NSAI will support stakeholders in setting the tone for how green measures, such as home retrofitting, energy innovation and the circular economy can be utilised in Ireland.
Why standards?
Standards are formed through a consensus-based process, taking into account as many voices as possible. The documents are put together by standards committees, composed of stakeholders with widely varying backgrounds, expertise, and interests, from PhD researchers and start-up owners, all the way through to policymakers and multi-national executives.
As a result, the final output of the Committee, the Standard, upholds principals such as safety, efficiency, and interoperability, while also incorporating the latest developments in policy, research and innovation. Standards set the bar for the products, services and processes used and made available within Ireland, making them an incredibly useful tool with which to secure a climate-neutral future.
Bringing innovation into the mainstream
According to the IDA, Ireland is 11th in the world for its overall quality of scientific research. As a country with such a high level of activity in the research, development, and innovation space, it is vital that the latest discoveries and solutions in science and technology reach their full potential in our industries and societies.
Standards are the perfect vehicle through which to do that: by introducing new concepts and ideas to a standards committee, researchers can gain professional recognition from industry peers, all while helping to establish a new and improved national norm which could contribute to Ireland’s ambitious climate targets.
Researchers can also use participation in standards committees to take their RDI project to the next level. Public funds value standards as a research project outcome, making it a valuable addition to any project proposal.
Meanwhile, those looking to bring their idea to life in the form of a new product or service can use the insight of the
standards committee to ensure interoperability and compliance with the relevant regulations. During our climate emergency, introducing real world, market-ready solutions in a timely way is made possible with standards.
To learn more about how innovators and researchers can benefit from and support standardisation, visit: NSAI.ie/standards/standardsinnovation/
Policy, realised
As documents which set the bar for products, services, and processes in Ireland, NSAI standards reflect and support the latest policies as set out by the Government. These requirements are combined with knowledge from a team of technical experts who live and breathe the industry, resulting in a standard that can show how complying with regulations can be achieved in the real world.
Not only can standards themselves strongly support national policies, there are also significant benefits for a government department, agency, health trust or local authority to become involved in setting and reviewing standards.
Policymakers’ active engagement with standards committees can allow them to implement policy in a significantly more informed way. By directly observing and working with the sector’s businesses, researchers, and stakeholders, they are offered the opportunity to grow their industry awareness. In the process, they build great capacity to spot potential policy challenges and solutions which could arise.
Standardisation can therefore be used to ensure that all public bodies are working to the same agenda, in this case, the goal of a more sustainable future through the Climate Action Plan, in collaboration with experts from the private sector and in a voluntary space. Policymakers who work on standards successfully ‘get in on the ground floor’, ensuring implementation of policy is as effective and achievable as possible for the industry.
Find out more about Standards help to realise policies and regulations at: NSAI.ie/standards/supportingstandards/
Making the connection between hydrogen research and standards
In June 2021, NSAI and Gas Networks Ireland started a two-year secondment to work on standardisation activities relating to hydrogen. Recognising the fuel as a relatively new area with great potential to be adopted nationwide, a Hydrogen Standardisation Expert was appointed. Their role is to increase Ireland’s pool of knowledge relating to hydrogen standardisation, drawing on the widest possible panel of experts including Irish academia, think tanks and research bodies. Collaborating with NSAI’s counterparts across Europe, these experts will then work to create new and improved suite of hydrogen Standards. This new venture aligns with the Government’s commitment to invest into the research and development of hydrogen energy, and ultimately, it will facilitate informed decision making around standards for the use of this new fuel in Ireland and beyond, helping to drive climate-neutral policies.
NSAI’s current climate actions
In support of the growing demand in Government and across industries to answer the climate emergency’s call, NSAI has been identifying and prioritising standardisation activities in areas relating to climate action.
Currently, NSAI has several standards committees working in climate action related areas such as wind energy, solar energy, alternative fuels in transport, electrification of heat and transport, and the circular economy. This scope is only growing; the Authority in collaboration with policymakers, researchers and industry professionals, identifies new areas in which to begin standardisation activities.
For example, the recently published Standard Recommendation (SR 504:2021) which provides guidelines for the design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of heat pump systems was developed to ensure best practice in this technology which will facilitate a move to low carbon home heating.
More recently, the area of hydrogen energy is one in which NSAI is supporting new cross-disciplinary standards work.
Innovative technology is key to climate action. By facilitating collaboration between Ireland's policy makers, researchers and industry experts, the Authority can support Ireland's pursuit of climate neutrality by getting 'ahead of the curve' and ensuring best international practice through standards.
To find out more about how Standards are empowering Ireland’s future, visit: NSAI.ie/Standards
