Following the news this week that urgent action is needed to upgrade Ireland’s critical infrastructure to support economic growth and decarbonisation, Chris Collins, Country President Ireland at Schneider Electric, shares his view about the need for planning reforms to speed up the transition to renewable energy.
“As we move away from fossil fuels, we’re seeing increased need for further investment in a smarter, decentralised grid based on a network of microgrids - self-contained sites that allow you to generate your own electricity using a mix of renewables. Although microgrids will add much needed capacity to the grid, delays in planning permission are slowing down the transition to renewables in Ireland. This is holding up projects, blocking investment, and ultimately, preventing Ireland from achieving its climate targets. It’s clear that reforms are needed to speed up the planning process to develop sites, create new jobs and supply chains.
As the new energy landscape continues to evolve, we’re seeing lots of opportunities for renewables to add resilience, reduce energy costs and create economic benefits. Our research shows 2 million new jobs can be created here, across Europe and in the United States by adopting clean energy technologies. A smarter energy mix including wind and solar, and even green hydrogen, can be rolled out alongside natural gas for the time being. This provides a balance in the short term, while we invest in smarter energy solutions and storage for the longer term.”
