- After 40 years, Irish energy utility, ESB, has announced that coal generation has ended at Moneypoint Power Station.
- Moneypoint will continue to provide security of supply for Ireland’s electricity system.
- ESB actively progressing transformation of Moneypoint into one of the country’s largest renewable energy hubs
ESB is continuing the transformation of its Moneypoint power station into a renewable energy hub with the end of coal generation earlier than planned, representing a significant milestone in the organisation’s Net Zero carbon emissions strategy.
Minister of State Timmy Dooley was joined at the Co Clare site today by Paddy Hayes, ESB Chief Executive, to mark the milestone.
Moneypoint commenced its transition away from fossil fuel generation on site in 2017 with the construction of a 17MW onshore wind farm. In 2021, ESB announced Green Atlantic @ Moneypoint, a multi-billion-euro ambitious plan to transform the site into one of the country’s largest renewable energy hubs, utilising its deep-water port and existing infrastructure. Phase one of this plan was completed in 2022 with a €50 million investment in Ireland’s first synchronous compensator, a zero-carbon technology that allows the system to utilise ever increasing amounts of use of renewable electricity.
Moneypoint was one of Ireland’s largest energy generation stations and was developed in the 1980s to mitigate against the then oil crisis.
In 2023, ESB and EirGrid signed an agreement to keep Moneypoint available (to generate on oil) from 2025 up to 2029 and will only be required to operate when the electricity system is short of generating capacity, and under instruction from EirGrid.
Oil generation is less carbon intensive than coal generation and the station is expected to see significantly less running during this four year period.
Moneypoint will remain a key site for ESB and for the Mid-West region as the station evolves and transforms to support the Irish government to achieve its climate targets.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
