The Utility Regulator has published Northern Ireland’s first Flexibility Needs Assessment, undertaken under new EU electricity market requirements. The assessment highlights key drivers of future flexibility needs, identifies potential barriers to flexibility and sets out recommendations and actions to support Northern Ireland’s progress towards a decarbonised energy system. Given the technical nature of the report, it will be of particular interest to electricity industry participants, renewable developers, flexibility providers, policymakers and consumer representatives.
The assessment highlights the growing importance of flexibility as intermittent renewable generation increases and identifies the key factors influencing future flexibility needs. These include the timely delivery of network infrastructure, the pace of renewable energy deployment and the need to balance decarbonisation objectives with affordability for consumers.
Key findings include:
- Network constraints remain a key challenge, highlighting the need for network reinforcement and timely delivery of strategic infrastructure.
- Flexibility requirements are expected to increase as renewable generation grows, particularly under higher renewable deployment scenarios.
- System flexibility needs are projected to grow faster than network flexibility needs, increasing the importance of flexibility solutions over time.
- Long-duration flexibility resources could play an increasingly important role beyond 2030 by helping to reduce renewable curtailment.
- Flexibility, network reinforcement and operational improvements will all be needed to support higher levels of intermittent renewable energy integration.
- The assessment also identifies market and regulatory barriers to flexibility participation and highlights actions that could support greater market access over time.
This assessment represents the first Flexibility Needs Assessment undertaken under the requirements of the Electricity Regulation and will be repeated on a biennial basis. As this is the first cycle, a number of methodological limitations have been identified. Feedback from ACER, expected in 2027, together with stakeholder input and lessons learned from this initial cycle, will help inform the next assessment which is due to be completed by July 2028.
Copies of all documents can be made available in large print, Braille, audio cassette and a variety of relevant minority languages if required.