The Micro-Renewable Energy Federation (MREF) has urged the government to provide a package of supports for battery storage in homes, businesses and on farms.
A renewed package of support measures for micro-generation must include grants for battery storage systems to be deployed in homes, businesses and on farms across Ireland, the MREF said.
The mass deployment of battery storage would play a very significant role in grid load balancing, and would support future energy security in Ireland, according to MREF chair, Pat Smith.
Farms and businesses could store cheaper nighttime energy and surplus micro-generation during the day, for deployment during periods of peak energy, the MREF said.
“If every home, farm and business premises had just 10kWh of battery storage charging up during night-time periods, or from onsite micro-generation of renewable power for discharge during peak times, peak-time energy demand on the grid would be reduced by up to 25 million kWh a day.
“That would be a massive contribution to balancing energy loads right across the grid, and would go some way towards addressing concerns about the stability and security of energy supplies into the future,” Smith said.
In its pre-Budget submission, the MREF also demands the removal of distribution charges on energy used between the hours of 3:00a.m and 6:00a.m.
The MREF has also again called on the government to increase supports for solar-PV installations for homeowners to reflect the escalating costs of micro-generation technology.
A sustainable and easily accessible package of grant supports for solar PV for all businesses and farms should also be introduced in this year’s budget, according to the MREF.
“High energy prices are imposing enormous economic pressures on many businesses. Grants and low-cost, non-recourse financial supports are urgently required to help deal with this reality,” Smith said.