Murtag

Well done @AoifeMFoley and Alan Wyley @EnergyCloud_org on @RTERadio1 this morning bringing to light wasted wind and actual solutions. @UtilityregCRU... let's go.. plug in battery grant, plug in solar while your at it. Help those in arrears. We pay for constraint payments and @AoifeMFoley was the first person I've heard on radio mentioning it.

@woodygallagher @XEnergyIreland ESB should just give every house a free (or heavily subsided) 10kWh battery. That would be approximately 10GWh of storage. It would attenuate demand at peak times and provide storage during wind events.

@GavinTobin @KildareMet Gavin the #EVdriver, very pleased with himself

@KildareMet So buy an EV and stop moaning.

10 lousy cents. Then Trump will cause it to rise again anyways….

Here is a tight 7-point plan for the UK and Ireland to reduce bills and energy imports within c. 7 months, including transport and cross-border cooperation: 1. Slash energy demand immediately (fastest bill reduction) Roll out rapid efficiency measures: draught-proofing, loft insulation top-ups, smart thermostats, and heating controls across homes and public buildings. Focus first on the least efficient housing stock. This alone can cut heating demand by 10–20% in targeted areas, directly reducing gas imports. 2. Accelerate heat pump + heating transition Fast-track heat pumps for “ready” homes and hybrid systems for quick installation, replacing oil and gas boilers where possible. Expand early district heating pilots using waste heat in cities. This reduces heating energy use by 60–75% per unit of heat delivered, cutting fossil fuel dependence quickly. 3. Maximise wind and renewable output already built Reduce grid bottlenecks and curtailment, especially in wind-heavy regions in Ireland and Scotland. Improve forecasting and dispatch coordination so less renewable energy is wasted. This can recover 2–8% of lost clean energy and displace gas generation during peaks. 4. Fix grid flexibility and storage fast Scale up battery storage incentives, smart EV charging, and demand response for industry and commercial users. Shift electricity use to windy or low-demand periods. This reduces peak stress and lowers reliance on expensive imported marginal generation by 5–15%. 5. Transform transport demand (oil import reduction lever) Rapidly expand EV charging for fleets, taxis, and buses, while shifting freight logistics to rail where possible. Introduce smart charging to align EV demand with wind generation. Transport electrification and efficiency measures can reduce oil demand exposure by 10–20% over time, with early gains in urban fleets. 6. UK–Ireland energy collaboration (critical missing link) Treat the UK and Ireland grids as a coordinated regional system: - optimise use of existing interconnectors (GB–Ireland and GB–EU links), - share real-time balancing data between system operators, - coordinate wind forecasting and dispatch (especially Irish wind exported to UK peaks), - align emergency reserve planning and pricing signals This reduces duplication of backup fossil generation and improves system stability across both islands. 7. Integrated North Sea & Atlantic energy coordination (system efficiency layer) Work jointly on offshore wind planning, shared balancing markets, and HVDC expansion routes linking Ireland, the UK, and continental Europe. Treat interconnectors as shared strategic infrastructure, not isolated national assets. This improves renewable utilisation and reduces fossil backup needs by improving cross-border balancing. Core outcome Together, these measures focus on cutting demand, unlocking existing renewables, electrifying transport and heat, and treating UK–Ireland as a single flexible energy system. In a 7-month window, this is not about building new supply—it’s about removing waste and friction from the system that already exists. Better house keeping!

@higginsdavidw @LoughnaneCathal A tax reduction (public's money anyway) would be a painkiller for the 75% of private cars on irish roads that don't drive EV or hybrid The carbon tax on agri diesel needs to go.. because 100% of those on it don't have alternatives... the "polluter pays" is a sham in that case.

Every county in Ireland (bar Roscommon, 49%) is now above 50% new car sales for hybrid and electric models (Q1 2026) Another fuel subsidy is a painkiller. It's not the cure.

@EO_Halloran Who are you following who are suggesting the government want to purposefully collapse businesses with high fuel prices?!

Its extremely hard not to sound condescending explaining to people that the government doesn't actually want all businesses to collapse and go under from fuel prices Even by their own logic, why would a government want to crash their own economy and make itself poorer?

@Jordan_W_Taylor I like that you have entered the 21st century, while also staying ready for when we get thrown back into the 1800s!

@HydCEng A kerosene boiler plus a solid fuel convection driven back-boiler stove! I believe in defence in depth. When I get a heat pump too I'll have the full set!

And just like that, I'm a renewable energy bro! Right, that's my bit done for the energy crisis. Now off you go, government, and start licensing exploration wells in the Irish Atlantic already!

@pulse_carbon Yes. Lift the veil.

@HydCEng Yes im all for removing taxes on oil for essential needs. But pulling back the veil such that people can see our entire existence depends on oil is the catch 22 Government are in. There would be bank runs etc

The optimist view of Peak Oil - Im an optimist - was diesel would be funnelled to trucking and farming, potentially for decades, with rationing for every else. The pessimist view was people would argue about carbon taxes while the shelves empty. The later argument is winning.

Trump’s “victory timeline” claims. Mar 3: "We won the war." Mar 7: "We defeated Iran." Mar 9: "We must attack Iran." Mar 9: "The war is ending almost completely, and very beautifully." Mar 11: “You never like to say too ⁠early you won. We won. In ​the first hour it was over.” Mar 12: "We did win, but we haven't won completely yet." Mar 13: "We won the war." Mar 14: "Please help us." Mar 15: "If you don't help us, I will certainly remember it." Mar 16: "Actually, we don't need any help at all." Mar 16: "I was just testing to see who's listening to me." Mar 16: "If NATO doesn't help, they will suffer something very bad." Mar 17: "We neither need nor want NATO's help." Mar 17: "I don't need Congressional approval to withdraw from NATO." Mar 18: "Our allies must cooperate in reopening the Strait of Hormuz." Mar 19: "US allies need to get a grip - step up and help open the Strait of Hormuz." Mar 20: "NATO are cowards." Mar 21: "The Strait of Hormuz must be protected by the countries that use it. We don't use it, we don't need to open it." Mar 22: "This is the last time. I will give Iran 48 hours. Open the strait" Mar 22: "Iran is Dead" Mar 23: "We had very good and productive talks with Iran." Mar 24: "We’re making progress." Mar 25: “They gave us a present and the present arrived today. And it was a very big present worth a tremendous amount of money. I’m not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize.” Mar 26: "Make a deal, or we’ll just keep blowing them away." Mar 27: "We don’t have to be there for NATO." Mar 28: No major quote Mar 29: Claimed talks were progressing Mar 30: "Open the Strait of Hormuz immediately, or face devastating consequences." Mar 31: Claimed a deal was "very close" and that Iran would "do the right thing" Apr 1: "We’ll see what happens very soon." Apr 2: Repeated that a deal was likely, while warning of continued strikes if not Apr 3: "Something big is going to happen." Apr 4: Said Iran must comply "immediately" or face further consequences. Apr 5: "Open the fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah." 😂

@sosoosos690907 @JoeSmyth10 That's not how what works?! Capacity factor is reported over any time period (hour, day, year) It also can be reffered to an individual turbine, whole windfarm, or the entire wind fleet. @JoeSmyth10 is 100% correct, and is referring to Ireland's wind fleet.

@JoeSmyth10 That is not how it works, try Googling before typing.

Even in a massive storm our Wind capacity factor is only 60%. This is why we have some of the most expensive electricity in the world.

This Easter, Ireland generates more renewable electricity than it can use. Then it throws it away — and charges you for it anyway. Meanwhile, Texas pays half what we do for electricity, with a smaller renewable base. There's a fix. It's not batteries, it's not more pylons, and it costs the taxpayer nothing.

@DaraghCassidy Relevant post from nearly 3 years ago. You were right 🫡

@DavidLSPrice I don’t disagree with you. My issue is that by banning turf, hiking carbon tax etc, the government is trying to force us all to retrofit. When in reality many will simply never be able to afford to.

A few issues. Not everyone has €40k lying around. And in most cases, you need to pay the full amount upfront yourself before you can claim back the grant. Most deep retrofits also require you to vacate your home for several weeks. Where do you go? There’s nowhere to rent.

@XEnergyIreland @ReliableAB x.com/i/status/20389…

Yes. Once peat is hand cut into little fire sized chunks its known as "turf". We've banned the commercial sale in shops, and banned its use in power plants as biomass (our bogs are habitats, carbon sinks, and absorbs floodwaters) But in an act of pure hypocrisy Ireland still commercially exports 350,000 tonnes of it per year to other countries!.. Our energy prices, particularly heating oil, is now through the roof and we have a cold spell of weather. So my post encourages those in fuel poverty not to fear legal implications of burning their own or neighbour's supply to keep warm and save money.

🥶 Today's message to the population of Ireland 🇮🇪 without heat pumps (86% of us ordinary peasants!) 🔥In Ireland, burning turf in your stove/fire is NOT illegal. 🔥Buying turf from private sale is also NOT illegal.

UK diesel stockpiles at risk, warn traders ft.trib.al/CYdZiOB

I agree 💯 The RESS gov scheme is not working. More wind installed does not anymore equal more energy dispatched (since ~ 2020) Instead, new RESS contracts now just mean guaranteed revenue for BnaM, Statkraft, Orsted, SSE, etc. even for curtailed energy. Bonkers. It should be national news but I'm not sure any journalist is brave enough to touch it....

Reposting these instructions now that its becoming legal in the UK. Ireland will have to folllow soon. Get installing 👷‍♀️👷‍♂️ ☀️《The only good solar is solar you installed and own yourself》

@7Kiwi Its extremely cheap "plug in" grid tied solar. Usually only < 1kW rated. (Mostly self consumption of your always on like fridge, router and security cam etc!) Trickles onto the grid occasionally on a sunny day but its harmless.

@HydCEng Badly positioned solar panels won't have a good return. We already have too much solar on the grid that will crowd out other technology and reduce inertia, creating stability problems.

No Andrew, plug in solar panels are the equivalent of chocolate teapots.