Dingle homes to be wired up for green energy experiment
ELECTRIC Ireland are to use Dingle as a test-bed for new technology that will allow people to store electricity they generate in their own homes.
Twenty homes will take part in the initial StoreNet project, which was officially launched at an International Energy Research Centre (IERC) industry workshop at Tyndall National Institute in Cork on Tuesday.
A major problem with green energy produced by solar, wind and other renewable means is that there is no effective means of storage so this electricity is fed into the national grid. However, the technology being tested in Dingle will allow electricity generated from renewable resources to be stored in high tech batteries in people’s own homes so that it can be used at peak times rather than using energy from the national grid. Additonal charging of the batteries during offpeak hours will mean that consumers can avail of lower price electricity to supplement the electricity they generate at home.
Brian Ryan, Head of Customer Innovation at Electric Ireland, said the Dingle test project “will provide an in-depth understanding of the application of battery technology and will provide critical data for possible future battery applications.”
StoreNet is an industry-led collaborative research project led by Dr. Shafi Khadem of the International Energy Research Centre. The collaboration includes Electric Ireland, ESB Networks and Solo Energy. Their work aims to demonstrate battery-based energy storage within Irish homes on the Irish grid.
John Sheehy of Mol Teic – the facilitators of the project in Dingle – said that as yet no selection has been made for the 20 people who will take part in the initiative. To be included in this part
of the project householders will have to meet certain technical criteria. John expressed his confidence that “by the completion of the project this community initative will benefit people across the spectrum of society.”
Meanwhile Darach Ó Murchú of Transition Town Chorca Dhuibhne said that, “generating and storing electricity locally using new cleaner technologies is admirable but the production and implementation of these technologies comes with its own environmental cost” .
“Encouraging people to reduce their electricity usage and cease perpetuating a culture of waste is a less expensive option that would have long term beneficial effects for the planet” he added.
Electric Ireland announced in September that they are investing €4m in Dingle to investigate how the smart electricity network of the future will operate.