Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 October 2025
220. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on his Department’s development of a data sharing framework regarding low carbon technologies connected to the electricity grid, as committed to in the Climate Action Plan 2025 and due in Quarter 4 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55503/25]
View answer221. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on his Department’s development of smart-flex standards roadmap, as committed to in the Climate Action Plan 2025 and due in Quarter 3 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55504/25]
View answer222. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment for an update on his Department’s development of customer-led flexible demand processes, as committed to in the Climate Action Plan 2025 and due in Quarter 4 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55505/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 220, 221 and 222 together.
My Department is acutely aware that with the scale of distributed renewable electricity generation sources coming onto the grid, the grid needs to be more flexible to account for the intermittent nature of renewables. Moreover, for the decarbonisation pathway to be efficient, our energy system must be smart. A smart and flexible energy system will reduce consumer energy bills by reducing the amount of generation and network assets that need to be built to meet peak demand. Consequently, the deployment and integration of Energy Smart Appliances (ESAs) such as electric vehicle (EV) charge points, domestic battery energy storage systems (BESS), heat pumps and hot water heating solutions is a crucial step for empowering households and businesses to play a central role in Ireland’s energy transition.
Consequently, my Department established the Smart Energy Services Working Group (SESWG) under the CAP 23 with the objective of developing ‘measures and policy that facilitate and empower consumers to benefit from engagement in the energy transition, through active participation in the energy market and flexible demand management services’. The SESWG identified a number of priority focus areas including the development of Smart-Flex standards to support the integration and interoperability of consumer energy assets, such as smart appliances, Heat Pumps, EVs and solar PV systems. CAP 25 includes an action to Develop a Smart-flex Standards Roadmap. This will set out the pathway for mandating energy smart appliance capabilities, in line with crucial consumer empowerment measures required under the EU Electricity Market Design changes.
A new Demonstration and Innovation delivery programme is also under development by SEAI with the intention of identifying solutions to smart energy challenges, testing applications and assessing impacts. This will be crucial for the successful integration of flexible energy assets in homes, businesses and communities and ensure that these assets can optimise energy use for consumers, as well as allow consumers to participate in flexible demand management services as these become available.
