DS3 System Services

This programme by EirGrid offers financial incentives for conventional and renewable generation to provide flexible services in order to meet the challenges of operating the electrical system in a secure manner while achieving Ireland’s 2020 renewable electricity targets.

Highlights:

• Contracting 107 units to provide eleven system services
• Improving on existing approaches by including non-conventional technologies
• Some non-conventional technologies proven to be capable of providing existing services (e.g. wind units for reserve services)

 

Main information:

As an island with a low level of interconnection, there are considerable challenges in trying to operate the power system with a high level of renewables. However, EirGrid wants to not only have a high level of renewable generation installed on the power system, but also want to be able to use it to its maximum level. DS3 System Services is a central part of EirGrid’s DS3 programme (Delivering a Secure, Sustainable electrical System), which is designed to ensure that EirGrid can securely operate the power system with increasing amounts of variable non-synchronous renewable generation.