Ireland’s electricity grid operator, EirGrid, has awarded contracts for the deployment of synchronous condensers to support the integration of renewable energy and maintain grid stability as Ireland transitions to cleaner energy sources.
These contracts for low carbon inertia services (LCIS) will help balance the grid by providing 6,963 MVA of synchronous inertia, reactive power support, and short-circuit strength without generating active power.
The contracts were awarded to Quarry Lane Stability in Sligo and Glencloosagh Energy in Kerry, both subsidiaries of Statkraft Ireland, as well as to Buffy Letter in Galway and Green Frog Power in Wexford. Traditionally, grid stability depended on inertia from large fossil-fuel-based generators, but these new technologies allow for grid stability while accommodating higher levels of renewable energy, such as wind and solar.
The LCIS technology is slated for implementation between 2027 and 2028, with EirGrid potentially reducing the grid’s dependence on conventional generators in the future. Currently, EirGrid has reduced the minimum number of large fossil-fuel generators required to keep the grid stable from five to four, with the aim of increasing Ireland’s capacity for renewable integration. Up to 75% of Ireland’s electricity generation can now come from variable renewable sources, with synchronous condensers helping maintain stability as this capacity grows.
Liam Ryan, EirGrid’s Chief Transformation and Technology Officer, emphasized that these services are critical to making Ireland’s grid renewables-ready, which will benefit the economy and communities across the country.