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Back to Our Stories 15 October 2026

Exploring the transformative power of emerging energy technologies

Fundamental changes are taking place across the energy sector, as electricity is generated, distributed and consumed in new ways. Like other countries around the world, Ireland faces the challenge of decarbonising our economy and society while maintaining an affordable, reliable and resilient energy system. Technology innovation will play a central role in providing the answer.  

To help achieve this and deliver on our strategy Driven to Make a Difference: Net Zero by 2040, ESB identifies and assesses emerging technologies that could support the energy transition. We do this by carrying out global technology scanning, evaluating the technical and commercial aspects of emerging solutions, leveraging the expertise of teams across ESB, and collaborating with research institutions, tech developers and industry partners.  

We assess technologies for their readiness, cost, scalability and relevance to Ireland’s energy system. Where there is a strong strategic fit, we progress from research and monitoring to feasibility studies, partnerships, physical trials and, ultimately, deployment across our generation, networks and customer businesses. 

Emerging Technology Insights 2026 

This approach informs our ESB Emerging Technology Insights 2026, which examines over forty technologies with the potential to contribute to an affordable, reliable and net zero energy system. The six sections of the report address essential building blocks of that future system: 

  • Low Carbon Generation 
  • Energy Storage 
  • The Empowered Customer 
  • Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage Technologies 
  • Grid Technologies 
  • The Electrification of (Almost) Everything 

For each technology, the report provides a practical assessment of maturity, cost outlook, commercialisation timelines, scalability and relevance to ESB. It highlights leading projects and organisations in each field, along with an overview of relevant work currently underway across ESB.

2026 report highlights

This year’s report looks at a number of developments with exciting potential for Ireland’s energy system:  

  • Floating offshore wind, renewable hydrogen and ammonia, advanced solar and other emerging technologies are expanding the options for decarbonised electricity generation. 

  • Long-duration energy storage options – including flow, CO₂, liquid-air, thermal and iron-air systems – are advancing to provide flexibility over hours, days and even entire seasons. 

  • New technologies can increase capacity, stability and sustainability across the electricity network, from dynamic line rating and advanced conductors, to grid-forming inverters and SF₆-free equipment. 

  • Customers have greater opportunities to participate more actively in the energy system thanks to innovations in smart charging, vehicle-to-everything technology, flexible data centres, balcony solar and biomethane production. 

  • Improved vehicle charging, industrial heat pumps and district heating are accelerating electrification across road freight, rail, shipping and heat. 

  • Point-source carbon capture, bioenergy with carbon capture and direct air capture are progressing towards larger demonstrations and early commercial deployment. 

From trials to deployment: ESB progress in 2026

The 2026 report also highlights how we have been testing, demonstrating and deploying emerging technologies across our business, including:  

  • Demonstrating how a hydrogen fuel-cell can help power a data centre. 

  • Testing low-carbon hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a fuel at two ESB power stations. 

  • Beginning to build ESB’s first electrolyser to produce clean hydrogen.  

  • Beginning deployment of dynamic line rating technology on overhead lines, improving efficiency on the electricity network. 

  • Preparing a direct air capture trial at Aghada Power Station, with the potential to remove CO₂ emissions straight from the air.  

  • Procuring ESB’s first non-SF₆ medium-voltage switchgear and 110 kV circuit breakers, which benefit the environment by operating without the need for the greenhouse gas SF₆ (traditionally used as an insulator in electrical systems). 

Collaboration

These projects show how insights from the report are translated into practical action across ESB and with external partners. Through collaboration, we can test promising technologies in real-world settings, build capability and apply global developments to Ireland’s energy transition. 

We welcome engagement from researchers, start-ups, technology providers, developers, customers and other partners. If you are developing a promising technology, progressing a demonstration project or bringing a new perspective to an energy challenge, contact us at innovation@esb.ie. 

Download the ESB Emerging Technology Insights 2026 report to explore the technologies shaping the energy transition and what we are doing at ESB to evaluate, test and advance them.