1 Challenges of Increased Wind Energy Penetration in Ireland

Ireland is a facing a critical time in the formation of a robust renewable energy (RE) policy, due to its size, relative isolation, grid infrastructure, and fuel import dependency. Wind’s inherent intermittency and unpredictability make its increased penetration into the electricity network an area requiring significant further analysis. This paper follows a colloquium entitled “On the Technical Challenges of Increasing Wind Energy Penetration in Electricity Networks” held in Dublin in March 2003 to raise the level of dialogue on the subject in Ireland. The colloquium encompassed sessions on modelling and design of wind farms, grid requirements and wind penetration studies. This paper details the current state of the Irish electricity system, describes the status of the electricity market and puts into perspective the technical isssues which need to be resolved to increase wind penetration on the island of Ireland. 1