MEP for Ireland South and Fine Gael leader in the European Parliament, Seán Kelly, has welcomed the commencement of energisation of the Greenlink Interconnector, calling it a “transformative project that marks a significant milestone in Ireland and Europe’s journey toward achieving Net Zero emissions”.
The Greenlink Interconnector, which represents substantial investment into Ireland and Wales, has the potential to power 380,000 homes and will deliver a range of economic, environmental, and strategic benefits.
“Greenlink is a game-changer for Ireland and for the UK. By doubling the interconnection capacity between our two countries, it will provide increased security of supply and help us deliver reliable and affordable power for consumers. Importantly, it will also support the integration renewables and accelerate our transition to a 100% renewable electricity system.”
MEP Kelly went on to emphasise Greenlink’s critical role in Europe’s Net Zero ambitions: “Interconnection will be a cornerstone of Europe’s Net Zero strategy. By connecting our electricity grids, we can move power from where resources are greatest to where demand is highest, integrating high volumes of variable renewable electricity and ultimately eliminating fossil fuels from the system. Projects like Greenlink are essential to this vision.
“With Ireland aiming to deliver up to 20GW of offshore wind by 2040, we will soon generate more power than we can consume domestically. We must ensure that there is a customer there to offtake this surplus electricity. Electrification alongside a proactive approach to interconnection are essential to Ireland’s long term energy and economic strategy.”
MEP Kelly also noted that to reap the benefits of increased interconnection, Ireland needs to put in place a strategy to lower our electricity prices as much as possible in order to become a net exporter: “More interconnection with the UK and mainland Europe will inevitably increase competition in the Irish electricity market. While this will benefit consumers, there are clear challenges for our own electricity generators. It also highlights the need for the Irish market to deliver competitive prices at renewable energy auctions and to end the era of our electricity prices being set by expensive, imported fossil fuels.
“Delivering a more competitive price than our UK counterparts is the only way for us to become a net exporter of green energy and achieve our renewable potential”, and ensuring Irish renewables are not curtailed due to cheap imports flowing in from the UK and France.”
Concluding, Mr. Kelly commended the project promoters on their successful delivery of the project: “I take the opportunity to congratulate the Greenlink team on navigating the substantial hurdles involved in delivering an important cross border infrastructure project of this scale. This is a critical part of our transition to a sustainable, secure, and affordable energy future. I am proud to see this project come to fruition and look forward to its role in shaping Ireland’s energy landscape for generations to come.”