Latest news with #Moneypoint
Irish Examiner
2 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Ireland ends coal power generation at Moneypoint
Ireland has ended coal power generation, joining a growing group of European countries that have eliminated the fuel from their electricity mix. The closure of Moneypoint's coal operations makes Ireland Europe's sixth country to exit coal as renewables continue to increase their share of power generation. The station in Co Clare will continue to operate, serving as a back-up role, burning oil under emergency instruction from EirGrid until 2029. Moneypoint is one of Ireland's largest energy generation stations and was developed in the 1980s to mitigate against the then oil crisis. Cathal Marley, Chief Executive of EirGrid, said the change marks a significant milestone for the country's electricity system. "While Moneypoint will no longer use coal, we entered an agreement with ESB, following direction from our regulator, CRU, to make Moneypoint units available on a temporary basis as out of market units up to 31st March 2029. "The units will operate using oil as the primary fuel source and will support the overall adequacy position for Ireland, alongside the other measures in CRU's Security of Supply Programme.' Paddy Hayes, Chief Executive of ESB said the teams working at Moneypoint and the communities across West Clare have been at the heart of powering Ireland's electricity system for the best part of 40 years. Friends of the Earth Ireland also welcomed the move, saying the cessation of coal operations at Moneypoint fires the starting gun on what could be a defining summer for Europe's coal phase-out, with Spain and Italy set to follow suit in the coming months, with the anticipated shutdown of their remaining mainland coal plants. Read More Proposal excuses new data centres from using renewable sources as back-up electricity
Irish Times
9 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Moneypoint power station ends coal use ahead of schedule
The ESB has ended coal use at its Moneypoint electricity generation station in the Shannon estuary in Co Clare and is switching to oil use for the coming years. Generating power with heavy fuel oil is less carbon intensive than coal, while the station is expected to be used less in the future. The exit from coal use is six months earlier than anticipated at the facility, which has been in operation since the mid-1980s. The move is part of the continuing transformation of Moneypoint into a renewable energy hub. The power plant has been burning coal for 40 years but began its transition away from fossil fuel generation on site in 2017 with the construction of a 17 megawatt onshore wind farm. READ MORE In 2021, ESB announced its Green Atlantic @ Moneypoint project, an ambitious plan to transform the site into one of the country's largest renewable energy hubs, using its deepwater port and existing infrastructure. [ Republic may need to consider nuclear power to meet energy demand and climate goals, says EirGrid chairman Opens in new window ] This is planned to coincide with scale-up of offshore wind projects off the west coast in coming years. Phase one of this plan was completed in 2022 with the installation of a €50 million synchronous compensator to facilitate more efficient accommodation of renewables on the national grid. Moneypoint, which at one stage supplied up to 25 per cent of Ireland's electricity needs, will continue to provide security of supply for Ireland's electricity system as a backup facility; a power plant of last resort for EirGrid. The ESB intends to end oil use in 2029.
