NMC battery storage project financing options in Ireland 2030

Will Ireland see a battery energy storage boom in 2030?

The Single Electricity Market (SEM) in Ireland is set to see a battery energy storage system (BESS) boom into 2030, with short-to-medium duration capacity forecast by Cornwall Insight to increase fivefold by 2030.

What types of batteries can be stored in Ireland?

These include lithium-ion batteries, hydrogen storage, thermal storage, flow batteries and pumped hydro storage. However, thermal storage fell outside of the focus on electricity storage and the potential for additional pumped hydro storage in Ireland is considered to be fairly limited and so neither were modelled in detail.

When will long duration energy storage be available in Ireland?

The Irish Electricity Storage Policy Framework, published after this data was collected, indicates that an immediate route to market for 500 MW of long duration energy storage is currently being developed, with further studies planned to support long duration storage from 2030 to 2040 (Government Of Ireland 2024a).

How much battery storage do we need in Ireland & Northern Ireland?

In 2021 energy experts Baringa estimated that to hit the 80 per cent renewable electricity targets in Ireland and Northern Ireland by 2030 we would need at least 1,700 MW of battery storage on the island of Ireland. Every battery storage project connected makes our electricity grid more secure and helps to integrate wind and solar power.

Will lithium-ion batteries meet Ireland's energy storage needs in 2035?

Lithium-ion batteries were assumed to be a key technology option for meeting Ireland’s energy storage needs towards 2035, with a wider mix of technologies being deployed to achieve 2050’s net zero targets.

How many battery storage projects are in development in May 2022?

Today, in May 2022, we have 13 projects operating with a combined capacity of 500 MW and we expect this to grow rapidly to nearly 800 MW by 2023. There are nearly 60 more battery storage projects – 2,500 MW – in development on the island and we are confident of delivering on our 2030 targets.