Ireland has an abundance of renewable energy resources – with wind, tidal, solar and wave energy among those that could power the future for the country. Coupled with this, transmission links to Northern Ireland and interconnectors with the UK aim to balance the energy system and provide the resilience and stability required to keep the lights on and the gas flowing. With only a year to go until the UK leaves the EU, the confusion and uncertainty around the border and its future arrangements – including for the single energy market on the island of Ireland – is making the challenge of unifying and optimising the energy system more difficult.

Brexit uncertainty

The expert speakers at Ireland Power 2018 will be discussing how the Irish energy system can be optimised despite the Brexit uncertainty, to ensure a green and low carbon future. Roger Henderson, networks connections director at NIE Networks, will share how the available capacity is being optimised, and what is being done to prepare for distributed resources coming online. Flexibility in the system will be key in the low carbon world Ireland is heading into, and Bord Gáis Energy head of assets and trading, Nico O’Rourke, will talk about the role of storage, the impact of electric vehicles, and how demand side response solutions help balance the system. Other expert speakers include:
  • Jerry O’Sullivan, deputy chief executive, ESB
  • Patrick Madigan, head of bioenergy, Bord na Móna
  • Jenny Pyper, chief executive, Utility Regulator
  • Stephen Wheeler, managing director, SSE Ireland
  • Paul Travers, head of energy, climate action and infrastructure, Allied Irish Banks
  • Aoife MacEvilly, commissioner, Commission for Regulation of Utilities
  • James Lawless, vice-chair, Communications, Climate Action and Environment Committee
  • Martin Finucane, principal officer, Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Want to gain a pan-utility understanding?

Then why not attend the 2018 Ireland Water conference the day after our annual Ireland Power event. For more information, visit: www.ireland-power.net To view the full conference programme and book your place, visit:  www.ireland-power.net If you have any queries, please contact: Helen Heppell on helenheppell@fav-house.com or 01 514 3921 (within Ireland) / +44(0)1342 332041 (outside Ireland) for more information.