The electricity grid operator, SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland), has announced the award of two significant contracts for new renewable energy integration technologies that will be crucial to Northern Ireland’s net zero goals.
The contracts to develop two new synchronous compensator projects in Coleraine and Coolkeeragh were awarded to Statkraft following a competitive procurement process run by SONI.
Synchronous compensators are a technology which can provide the “Low Carbon Inertia Services” (LCIS) which are vital for maintaining a stable electricity grid while operating with higher levels of renewable energy. These technologies are critical for integrating more renewable energy sources by providing the inertia capabilities required to keep the power system stable. These important services historically could only be provided by large conventional generators.
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The Low Carbon Inertia Services Procurement is a critical component of the operational plans contained in SONI and EirGrid’s Shaping Our Electricity Future Roadmap, which set out the actions needed to decarbonise the power system.
The award of these contracts is a major milestone in enabling Northern Ireland’s renewable energy ambitions.
SONI Chief Executive, Alan Campbell, said: “This is a hugely significant milestone on our journey to decarbonise Northern Ireland’s power system and marks the delivery of a crucial aspect our operational roadmap. To meet our collective renewable energy ambitions, Northern Ireland’s electricity grid, and how it’s operated, has to be transformed at an unprecedented scale, pace and level of complexity.
“Decarbonising our energy system is about more than the amount of renewable electricity generated by wind and solar farms, we also need the technologies and services to be able to operate the grid securely. These technologies will enable us to integrate and use significantly more renewable electricity in the future while maintaining a safe, stable and reliable of electricity for homes, farms and businesses across Northern Ireland. Over time, these Low Carbon Inertia Services will enable us to use less fossil fuels in favour of cleaner, renewable forms of generation.
“As Northern Ireland’s electricity grid operator, we welcome this investment from Statkraft in supporting a cleaner, more secure energy future for everyone in Northern Ireland.”
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Kevin O’Donovan, MD of Statkraft Ireland and UK, said: “We are happy to have won two contracts in Northern Ireland’s first Low Carbon Inertia Services process. This will involve the development of machines called synchronous compensators to keep the electricity grid stable, even when a lot of renewable energy like wind or solar power is on the system. This means we can turn off fossil-fuel power stations when there’s enough renewable energy to meet demand, reducing the need for fossil fuels and using more of Northern Ireland’s natural resources.
“These projects will help cut carbon emissions because fewer fossil-fuel power stations will need to be run just to keep the grid stable. As more renewable energy is added to the system, it’s important to maintain grid stability to ensure a reliable electricity supply for everyone. Statkraft has successfully developed this technology in other parts of the UK, so we’re excited to bring the same benefits to Northern Ireland.”
The new Synchronous Compensators projects are expected to be delivered by 2027.
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