We work on a continuous basis with our partners in academia and industry to address the challenges impacting on the flexibility of the transmission system. We work collaboratively to research the state-of-the-art solutions that will improve system performance. We have a modern grid, renewable energy sources at our disposal, a wealth of available expertise and supportive government policies, which facilitate this research.
We invite industry and academia to respond to our open calls, details of which will be provided here when relevant. We are also keen to hear your views on research. Tell us what you think we should be doing by emailing us on research@eirgrid.com. From time to time, we also facilitate a small number of work and intern placements.
Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private investment that this money will attract. It promises more breakthroughs, discoveries and world-firsts by taking great ideas from the lab to the market.
If you believe we could be a potential Horizon2020 partner, please complete this form and return to research@eirgrid.com.
Your proposal will be assessed by an internal panel who will evaluate it against specific criteria. Following this, the panel will decide if your proposal will receive the support to go ahead.
To facilitate the sharing of knowledge, create potential synergies and business opportunities for Ireland and to ensure we play a leading role in the world of energy research, we have partnered up with academics, industrial researchers, network and market operators.
In 2023, we are launching an exciting new competition for university students to contribute to our work in delivering a cleaner energy future. If you a university student interested in finding out more about this competition visit our CleanerGrid competition page.
In collaboration with some of our partners, we have developed projects which are ongoing and advancing. See below some examples of this work.
Investigating Current and Future Dynamic Load Modelling on the Ireland and Northern Ireland Power System at a Transmission System Station
The system demand, or ‘load’, often proves to be the most difficult part of the power system to model accurately. This is because the load is it is composed of millions of different components, everything from a television to a cement factory, and it is constantly changing. Due to this constantly changing element of the load, the dynamic response of the load model following a system event can be difficult to quantify. This project investigates a number of methods of approximating the dynamic load model, and compares them to real world events. The models are then altered to improve the accuracy of the simulated response. In addition to this, the future load profile for the island of Ireland is investigated. This includes approximating what this will mean for the dynamic load model of the system in years to come.
Application of Probabilistic Planning to the Ireland and Northern Ireland Power System
When planning the power system, the deterministic ‘N-1’ planning approach has been the traditional method used across the power system industry and will likely continue to be in the future. However, this traditional approach has a number challenges which are becoming problematic in modern transmission system planning. Probabilistic planning, also known as probabilistic risk analysis/risk-based planning, is another planning method which looks to overcome these challenges. This project carries out a substantial review of probabilistic planning methodologies utilised across the world. A case study will be examined to test how probabilistic planning could be used to identify network solution options given a number of possible scenarios. The project examines how probabilistic planning might be applied to the Ireland and Northern Ireland power system based on the experiences of other countries as well as the outcomes of the case study. It puts forward the pros and cons of this methodology and highlights the data required to pursue this approach.
Monitoring and Modelling the Effects of Geomagnetic Storms on the Irish Power Grid
Solar storms are the largest explosive releases of energy in the solar system, which can be accompanied by large ejections of hot gas that travel at millions of kilometres per hour. These solar storms can sometimes travel to the Earth, where they interact with Earth's magnetic field. As well as creating the spectacular aurorae near the Earth's magnetic poles, these storms can also disrupt electric power networks, and even cause permanent damage to equipment. Countries near the magnetic poles are more susceptible to this damage, as the 1989 Canadian blackouts demonstrated, but countries of lower latitudes, such as New Zealand and South Africa, have also experienced damaged power infrastructure and transformer failures due to solar activity. A project is underway to model the effects of geomagnetic storms on the Irish power grid and to develop a near-realtime monitoring system to protect the Irish grid from potentially damaging geomagnetic storms. This project primarily involves co-operation between Trinity College Dublin’s School of Physics, the British Geological Survey and EirGrid.