The recent 2024 UN Emissions Gap report provided a stark reminder of the huge distance still to cover if the world is to rein in emissions and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Yet one positive highlighted in the report was the role technology is playing in delivering progress: from wind and solar energy to battery systems, many of the solutions needed to decarbonise energy are now firmly established. However, innovative emerging tech will also be essential to speed up the transition.
Leveraging innovation to accelerate our net-zero journey is a key priority for us at ESB. One way we do this is by scanning the global tech horizon to identify new trends that hold promise for Ireland’s electricity system in the short to medium-term. This is the role of our Emerging Technology and Research and Development (R&D) team, who have just published the 2024 edition of their annual Emerging Technology Insights report.
“Our aim with this report is to present the state-of-play of the emerging energy technologies that will help drive forward ESB’s net-zero ambitions,” explains John Walsh, Emerging Technology and R&D Manager. “We collaborate with experts across the industry, including within ESB, start-ups, consultants, and research organisations, to get a 360-degree view of the latest technologies. Working with our business units, we can hone in on those that are ready to pilot and ultimately adopt at ESB.”
2024 Report Highlights
This year’s report highlights a number of trends that are being explored across ESB, in some cases with pilot solutions already in place. Three key focus areas are:
Energy storage: Storage will be crucial for balancing supply and demand in a renewables-dominated grid – and the latest innovations will make it possible to store energy for periods extending to multiple days. We have identified three technologies to explore further: vanadium flow batteries (8-12+ hours’ storage), CO2 batteries (approx. 10 hours) and iron-air batteries (approx. 100 hours).
Floating offshore wind: Floating offshore refers to wind turbines mounted on floating structures that are attached to the seabed. The technology spans both the ‘emerging’ and ‘early commercial’ categories of development. Our Generation and Trading business has an active interest in floating wind, engaged in projects including the 500 MW Stoura project off the east coast of Shetland in Scotland, the 100 MW Malin Sea Wind off the coast of Northern Ireland, and the 1 GW Gwynt Glas project off the coasts of Devon and South Wales.
Industrial heat pumps: An established feature in new residential buildings, heat pumps are increasingly becoming an attractive option for industry too. The latest innovations include solutions that actively recover waste heat and can deliver temperatures up to 200°C – unlocking fresh potential for future applications. We have delivered a number of innovative heat pump solutions in recent years, such as an 870 kW industrial heat pump with 65°C water output to ABP Food Group, and industrial heat pumps deployed at two large greenhouses in East Anglia, England.
The report also looks at some exciting but still early-stage emerging tech, as Des Lalor, Technology Manager, explains: “Two early-stage technologies that are very interesting are airborne wind and offshore solar. Airborne wind uses kites to generate electricity, in a similar way to kitesurfers using the wind for sport; while offshore solar refers to floating solar projects in the sea.”
The insights provided in this report will fuel conversations and new project ideas across the organisation and with our external partners. By monitoring the emerging technology landscape in this way, we can be ready to tap into the latest global developments with potential to decarbonise our own energy system – helping us innovate to accelerate Ireland’s journey net zero.