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The partnership will focus on power system transformation, citizen engagement, offshore wind energy research and talent development.
EirGrid, Ireland’s State-owned grid operator, is joining forces with University College Cork (UCC) to help the country’s transition to a zero-emissions power system.
Under the agreement, the two parties will collaborate on key research projects that will help transform Ireland’s power system and electricity market.
Additionally, UCC students will have an opportunity to undertake placement at EirGrid and a new lectureship position will be created at the university.
UCC is home to MaREI, the research centre for energy, climate and marine, with which EirGrid has signed a memorandum of understanding. MaREI has key strengths in offshore wind energy, the future of Ireland’s energy system and the societal aspects of climate action.
The new collaboration will also focus on power system transformation, the evolution of electricity generation adequacy, community and citizen engagement on the energy transition and electricity infrastructure, offshore wind energy research, talent development, and educational support and services.
Prof Brian Ó Gallachóir, associate vice-president of sustainability at UCC and director of the MaREI centre, said the new partnership is both timely and ambitious.
“Ireland has significant opportunities for renewable energy, in particular onshore and offshore wind energy and solar energy and significant ambitions to harness these resources as it transitions to a zero-emissions, climate-neutral future.”
Liam Ryan, EirGrid’s chief innovation and planning officer, said the grid operator’s partnership with UCC’s MaREI provides “an invaluable source of expertise” across areas that are critical to Ireland’s future energy system.
“In particular, our work on delivering vital offshore renewable energy infrastructure – key to a greater level of energy independence for Ireland – will require access to new categories of talent and expertise which this partnership is well placed to serve.”
Pressure on Ireland’s electricity grid has been a growing concern in recent years, particularly due to the consumption by ‘large energy users’ such as data centres.
At the same time, one of Ireland’s targets as part of its 2030 Climate Action Plan is to have 80pc of the country’s electricity come from wind and solar sources by 2030. However, a report from the Environmental Protection Agency earlier this year warned that Ireland is on track to miss its emissions targets by a significant margin.
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