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Fianna Fáil spokesperson on Climate, Environment, and Energy, Malcolm Byrne, has identified the Private Wires Bill as a pivotal solution for Ireland to utilise energy that is currently being lost.
Recent data provided to the Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment, and Energy revealed that 13% of wind energy generated last year went unused due to grid congestion, at an estimated cost of €450 million to consumers.
The proposed legislation would permit private developers to construct and own electricity lines under specific conditions, allowing energy generation to be linked directly to local demand. Deputy Byrne argued that this approach would bypass existing bottlenecks in the national grid, ensuring more electricity reaches businesses and households rather than being wasted.
Highlighting the impact of global market instability and uncertainty in the Middle East, Deputy Byrne urged that the bill be treated as a matter of urgency to strengthen Ireland's domestic energy security.
Deputy Byrne said: "With increasing energy pressure due to instability and uncertainty in the Middle East, it is unacceptable that such a vast amount of energy already generated on this island is going to waste. The best shot Ireland has at capturing this wasted energy is by continuing the Government's investment in strengthening the grid while also making more immediate use of available power by enabling private sector participation through the Private Wires Bill. This bill will allow private developers to build and own electricity lines in certain circumstances, connecting energy generation directly to local demand. By doing this we can relieve pressure on the existing grid and get more electricity to households and businesses instead of letting it go to waste."
The Deputy further emphasised that the legislation currently before the committee is a vital tool in addressing inefficiencies within the national electricity system.
He added: "With global energy supply lines under pressure due to instability in the Middle East, Ireland needs to make better use of the energy we already have. We have legislation currently before committee that can fix the leaks in our electricity system and prevent unnecessary waste. Ireland must reclaim our energy sovereignty and this bill will help achieve that."
