West Kerry to lead the way in ground-breaking electricity sharing trial

A ESB Networks pilot project to test if electricity generated in private houses can be distributed locally in West Kerry will see so-called peer-to-peer electricity supply tested in Ireland for the first time.

The trial, which will commence in October, aims to see how electricity generated by domestic solar pv panels and wind generators can be transferred to other homes within the same area.

At present any excess electricity generated from domestic solar pvs and wind turbines is fed back into the national grid. However, the trial will examine ways that this excess electricity be can used locally.

At the moment a major disincentive for people thinking of installing solar pv and other generators is that they have to give away the electricity that they do not use themselves.

However, as part of the trial ESB Networks will partner with one of the licensed suppliers of electricity in Ireland in an effort to find ways that excess electricty can be transferred from one house to another. In the future this could provide a way for homeowners to sell excess electricity to their neighbours, possibly establishing electricity generation as a cottage industry in West Kerry.

During July and August ESB Networks will be recruiting people in West Kerry who are interested in taking part in the trial, they will be looking both for people who have solar pvs and those who have not yet installed them.

Meanwhile, the ESB will be ready to announce the participants in their electric vehicle trials at the end of July. 320 people initially expressed interest in taking part in the scheme and, of these, 181 people went on to complete the survey, explained ESB Networks Dingle Project Engagement Manager Claire McElligott.

ESB Networks will make 17 cars available during the trial. Five of these will go to the ESB Networks Dingle Project ‘ambassadors’, 10 more people will be given the use of an electric car for a year and two ‘go-cars’ that can be borrowed when needed will be made available to give people in West Kerry an opportunty to experience driving an electric car.