UK seals energy security pacts with Ireland

The new UK energy secretary has signed a series of pacts with the Irish government to promote post-Brexit gas and electricity co-operation, including the development of interconnectors to directly plug new wind farms into the two countries’ grids.

To mark British-Irish Energy Day, Claire Coutinho and Irish minister for environment, climate and communications Eamon Ryan signed two new energy Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs).

The first strengthens cooperation between the two states and their relevant departments on natural gas, outlining how they will work together if security of supply is reduced or disrupted.

The second MoU will explore increased cooperation on opportunities for further electrical interconnectors between the island of Ireland and Great Britain.

These include the feasibility of a joint multipurpose interconnector project, connected directly with offshore wind farms and energy islands, which would then be plugged into the two countries’ grids.

Other areas covered by the second MoU include maritime spatial planning of offshore generation and grids, as well as information sharing on electrolytic, or green hydrogen, produced from renewable sources.

The two countries’ ministers intend to meet annually to discuss progress on priorities set out in the MoUs, which also include the development of a joint view on further electricity interconnection and the efficient functioning of offshore wind power bidding zones.

Coutinho said the MoUs are “landmark agreements” which will “deepen our energy partnership with Ireland, to deliver cheaper, cleaner and more secure energy to our homes and businesses and grow our economies”.

Ryan added: “The UK is Ireland’s closest and one of our most important energy partners. Ireland will therefore benefit significantly from plans to explore development of further interconnection between our all-island electricity market and Great Britain.

“This highlights the benefits of enhanced interconnection, which include increased security of supply, improved wholesale market competition and the possibility to export surplus renewable electricity during times of oversupply.”

Ireland currently has a single 500MW electricity interconnector with Great Britain and hopes to increase this capacity to 1,700 MW by 2027, including a new Celtic Interconnector designed to restore direct links between the grids of Ireland and the EU that were cut following the UK’s Brexit vote.

The whole island of Ireland, including the north’s six counties, remains within the Single Electricity Market (SEM).

Both the Republic and the UK are exploring offshore wind farm developments in the Celtic and Irish Seas, which separate the two countries.