With demand for electricity set to surge by 50 per cent by 2030, we will be hard pushed to meet our 70 per cent renewables targets, or even to meet our basic energy needs
SONI agricultural liaison officer Fergal Keenan
SONI, the electricity transmission system operator for Northern Ireland, has announced plans to reform the grid to achieve Northern Ireland’s clean energy ambitions.
The report, ‘Shaping Our Electricity Future’, details four innovative potential approaches to fundamentally change the grid to achieve Northern Ireland’s clean energy ambitions, while maintaining an affordable and secure supply for consumers.
The changes are needed as the proportion of renewable-generated electricity increases in the region.
Last week, government figures showed the region had hit a new milestone, with 50% of its power now generated from renewable sources. The next goal is for more than 70% of the region’s energy to be generated from renewable sources by 2030.
The operator of the electriciy grid in Northern Ireland has outlined multi-million pound proposals which it claims will fundamentally change its operations to ensure a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future.