Carlow has been selected as the location for a major new long duration energy storage (LDES) system, the first of its kind in Ireland.

The Rathrush Green Energy Park, located outside Rathoe, Carlow, will see the development of a 600MW LDES facility that will use excess renewable energy to generate green hydrogen, which can then be used to provide electricity at times when it is needed.

The project is being developed by Irish firm Net Zero Energy (NZE), with an estimated development cost of €2bn.

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If built, it is expected to save an estimated 180,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to removing approximately 40,000 cars from the road.

How it works

Surplus wind and solar energy, which would otherwise be lost, will be used to generate green hydrogen, which will then be stored underground on-site in lined rock caverns. When needed, the hydrogen will be converted back into electricity and supplied to the national grid.

This will provide backup power during periods of high demand and provide a solution to the challenge of renewable energy intermittency.

Scale

Rathrush Green Energy Park will store 30 times more green energy than the Turlough Hill pumped-storage facility and will have seven times the generation capacity of Ardnacrusha.

At peak construction, the project is expected to support up to 1,500 workers on-site. Once operational, it will create approximately 70 long-term jobs.

Planning process

The project is classified as being “of scale and regional importance”. As a result, it will require planning permission from An Coimisiún Pleanála (formerly An Bord Pleanála), as well as an Industrial Emissions Directive Licence from the Environmental Protection Agency.

The planning application will be submitted to An Coimisiún Pleanála through the Strategic Infrastructure Development (SID) process.

Carlow County Council is a key stakeholder in the SID process as a prescribed body and will provide submissions and feedback to An Coimisiún Pleanála on the application.

The public will also play a role in the consultation process and may make submissions and observations directly to An Coimisiún Pleanála. All planning documentation will be made available on the SID project website, together with any requests for further information or clarifications, expected later this year.

Timely solution

NZE chief executive Peter Harte said: “The project presents an important as well as timely solution to the current pressing and complex energy dilemma facing the country, both in terms of security of supply and decarbonising our grid."

NZE chairman Tim Cowhig added: “By making available 600MW of renewable energy at the flick of a switch, this project can satisfy as much as 10% of Ireland’s peak energy requirement. Rathrush Green Energy Park provides significant, secure, sustainable long duration energy storage for the Irish grid."