EIRGRID says that it expects demand for electricity in Ireland to grow by 45% by 2034, with the peak requirement for power rising by just under a quarter over the same time period.
The body, which currently manages Ireland’s electricity grid, has said that between now and 2027 the outlook for demand will prove ‘challenging’ unless new power sources are synthesised. Demand is already scaling up as a result of new data centres being constructed, the electrification of heat and transport, and the growing proportion of electric vehicles on the road.
The development of new technologies like AI and cryptocurrency also draws an enormous amount of power, leading to an upsurge in demand from important economic drivers such as the finance and information technology sectors.
EirGrid’s figures were published as part of its All-Island Resource Adequacy Assessment report, which says that increased demand requires access to temporary emergency generation capacity. The report also states that this can be ‘called upon in the event of a shortfall in capacity and where alerts on the system are likely’.
Power stations at Dublin’s North Wall and Huntstown, Tarbert in Co Kerry and Shannonbridge in Co Offaly could be brought online within 15 minutes should such allowances be made. As it stands, EirGrid can use power from Moneypoint in Co Clare for the next four years.
Access to power is expected to be boosted following the introduction and successful operation of the Celtic Interconnector between Ireland and France in 2027 and 2028. This will also give the island renewed access to gas.
Data centres and new technologies already use 27% of electricity according to EirGrid, a number it expects to rise to 31% by 2034. Electricity demand from heat pumps will increase 3% to 10%, and the demand from electric cars vehicles is expected to balloon from 1% to 8% over the same period.
The report also notes that the Programme for Government – which has emphasised an acceleration of housing supply and construction – is likely to affect an increase in electricity requirements.
