RPS Project Communications Releases

Subsea grid connecting Scottish, Irish and Northern Irish offshore renewable sites is feasible

Caption for attached photograph : Pictured at the ISLES Conference in Glasgow, from left to right PJ Rudden, Director RPS and Pat Rabbitte, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. 

November 23, 2011

The huge potential benefits of a new electricity grid under the Irish Sea connecting power sources on Scottish, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland electricity networks have been highlighted in an exhaustive study published today.

The Irish-Scottish Links on Energy Study (ISLES) study, funded by the EU's INTERREG IVA Programme, has found that development of an interconnected transmission network within the decade would help drive further growth in the renewables sector, create jobs, generate revenues and ensure future sustainable energy supplies by better connecting and exporting electricity.

Speaking as the report was launched at the ISLES Conference in Glasgow this morning, Pat Rabbitte, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, said the study is “further proof” of the economic potential of renewable energy:

“With a sea area that is almost ten times the size of our landmass, Ireland has an abundance of ocean renewable energy resources, potentially a multiple of the energy requirements of our own system.”

“By co-operating with our neighbouring administrations, we can work together to create a viable market for these resources, initially across our own islands but in time to continental Europe. The study shows that we have the long term potential to reduce infrastructure costs by working together to develop a planned network design.”

Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney said “This ground-breaking study highlights the opportunities and the challenges in realising our shared renewables potential. It underlines the commitment of our three governments to work together to harness the huge potential of renewable energy.

“It is further proof, if any were needed, of the enormous economic opportunities renewable energy provides. The low carbon economy could re-industrialise Scotland and the transmission network is an enormous part of that.

“The ISLES study shows that, by working together on a shared renewables grid, we could boost jobs, revenue and economic growth – as well as helping secure future renewable energy supplies.

“These islands have some of the most abundant and powerful offshore renewable energy sources in Europe. Indeed, Scotland has around a quarter of the continent’s wind and tidal resource and as much as a tenth of its potential wave power. This project paves the way to allow us to harvest that potential, further develop our export capability and bring in revenues to Scotland.

“This project has EU-wide significance. It shows Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland are leading the debate on how to deliver our offshore energy networks and we will now take these findings to both Westminster and Brussels.

“Connecting our transmissions networks is a challenging endeavour, but the rewards will be huge. It is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss.”

Speaking at the conference, Northern Ireland Energy Minister Arlene Foster said:

 “I see access to diversified sources of reliable and renewable energy as a core building block for sustainable economic growth. 

 “The ISLES concept study presents us with a realistic picture of an energy future where the regional wind, wave and tidal energy resources located far off our coasts are harnessed and used for our mutual good.  This will not happen quickly or easily. 

 “Northern Ireland’s new Programme for Government and Economic Strategy recognise the need to be responsive to national and international market opportunities.  The study points to the sizable potential for local companies to exploit the commercial opportunities that could be generated by the need for a marine renewable supply chain centred on our ports. 

 “The ISLES study presents significant challenges to government and potential investors.  Across each of our countries there are barriers to regional integration of energy trading systems.  Government needs to work with the energy sector to make the investment environment more attractive but without imposing undue costs on the end customer.”

 Pat Colgan, CEO of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), which manages the INTERREG IVA Programme, said:

 “Increased use of renewable energy is a core objective of the EU’s ‘20-20-20 targets’ which commits all 27 member states to source 20% of their energy needs from renewable sources by the year 2020. This study links into these targets as it has the potential to make a significant impact upon the future of the renewable energy sector.

“The study has also involved close cross-border collaboration amongst the three governments based in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland, working together to achieve a common goal. This cross-border ‘partnership based’ approach reflects the key goals of the INTERREG IVA Programme which has been designed to encourage greater levels of co-operation between all three regions. I look forward to seeing how the findings of this study are received and the positive benefits it has the potential to create”.

Funded by the EU’s INTERREG IVA Programme, the ISLES project was a two-year collaboration between the Scottish Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Government of Ireland.

The ISLES report contains crucial data and hard evidence to help understand the financial, regulatory and technical challenges of building an offshore interconnected transmission network and subsea electricity grid to support generation of electricity from renewable sources in coastal waters off Western Scotland and in the North Channel/Irish Sea area.

For further information: PJ Rudden, Director RPS. Contact : 087 233 6415 

Background

For more information please see www.islesproject.eu.

The Special EU Programmes Body is a North/South Implementation Body sponsored by the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland and the Department of Finance in Ireland. It is responsible for managing two EU structural funds Programmes PEACE III and INTERREG IV designed to enhance cross-border co-operation, promote reconciliation and create a more peaceful and prosperous society. The Programmes operate within a clearly defined area including Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland. 

The INTERREG IVA 2007-2013 Programme, funded though the European Regional Development Fund, is worth €256 million and aims to address the economic and social problems which result from the existence of borders. It has two distinct priority measures to create co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable cross-border region.

For more information on the SEUPB please visit www.seupb.eu