Smart pilot goes ahead in Ireland
February 16, 2012
The enterprise committee gave its backing to a pilot scheme for a "smart" energy grid, on 2 February 2012.
Members heard a briefing from Smart Grid Ireland, an industry-led network of organisations operating out of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Paddy Turnbull, of GE Energy Europe, said smart technologies were needed to deal with the growing renewables industry.
He explained that smart technologies could enable consumers to pay less in the long term.
Mr Turnbull said proposals to invest £3m in a pilot would test how technology might be of benefit before a big investment was made.
An investment of £1bn has been proposed to renew the grid. Committee chair Alban Maginness said Northern Ireland Electricity were accepting of the pilot scheme in its draft form and he believed the department and the enterprise minister were also supportive of the approach.
Mr Turnbull said active endorsement was needed from the committee to speed up the process.
He referred to a smart meter trial carried out in the Republic of Ireland which "has produced significant cost benefit".
Sinn Fein's Jennifer McCann expressed concern about the additional cost households and small businesses could incur as a result of the grid's renewal.
The committee decided to write to the utility regulator to outline its support and to request a progress report.
