New scheme can provide greater investment certainty for storage developers while helping Ireland capture more renewable energy and reduce energy costs
5th November 2026, Dublin: Energy Storage Ireland (ESI) has welcomed the Commission for Regulation of Utilities’ (CRU) decision to approve the procurement of up to 500 MW of long-duration energy storage (LDES), describing it as a significant step in Ireland’s move to energy independence.
Long-duration storage will be central to decarbonising the electricity system, providing multi-hour to multi-day flexibility that reduces renewable curtailment, supports security of supply, energy independence and price stability, and allows a higher share of renewables to operate securely on the system. Under the CRU’s decision, the procurement will be technology-neutral and open to projects with a minimum four-hour duration. It will operate through a competitive tender with a revenue floor and 70:30 sharing of upside revenue with consumers.
ESI’s Money Saver report found that an additional 2 GW of 6-8 hour storage would maximise economic benefits in an early 2030s scenario where renewable targets have been met. Compared with a reference case with today’s storage levels, it would deliver a net annual benefit of €102 million, cut carbon emissions by 10% and reduce wind and solar turndown by 11%.
Bobby Smith, Director of ESI, said: “This is a landmark moment for long duration storage in Ireland. A procurement of up to 500 MW sends a clear signal that Government and regulators are moving in the right direction to deliver the flexibility a high-renewables system needs. But 500 MW should be the starting point for long-duration storage, not the end point.”
“Long duration storage will strengthen security of supply, keep a lid on price volatility and make far better use of the wind and solar we are already building. This is a genuinely consumer-focused measure, and we commend the CRU and EirGrid for progressing it.”
ESI said it remains concerned about the 10-year contract length. This is shorter than comparable schemes in other markets, including the 15 years under ESB Networks’ Demand Flexibility Product and the 25 years under GB’s cap and floor, and it affects project finance and the cost of capital. ESI has called for contracts of at least 15 years to deliver the best value to consumers.
David Rossiter, ESI Senior Communications and Public Affairs Specialist, said: “This scheme finally gives storage developers a level of certainty. That is what unlocks investment, from securing sites to committing capital, and developers already have a large pipeline of projects ready to go.”
“We expect this decision to usher in a new round of long-duration storage development, which will help tackle the curtailment of renewables. But 500 MW has to be the starting point. Our Money Saver report shows that an extra 2 GW of storage would deliver a €102 million net benefit for consumers, cut carbon emissions by 10% and reduce wind and solar turndown by 11%. This procurement is the first step towards delivering that.”
ESI said it looks forward to working with EirGrid and the CRU as the contractual arrangements are developed, and to progressing the enduring procurement framework needed to deliver the volumes of storage required after 2030.