Rhonda Doyle, the Country President of Schneider Electric Ireland welcomes Budget’s €3.5bn grid modernisation plan but urges faster planning reforms to unlock microgrid potential—transforming Ireland from an energy consumer to a sustainable generator, storer, and sharer.
“The budget measures underscore the urgent need for a robust energy strategy—one that supports ambitious housing initiatives, the decarbonisation of transport and the safeguard of public investments. But the budget is a sustainable step forward, with a €3.5 billion investment to modernise the grid and accelerate the shift to renewables. More resilience can be added with a network of self-contained microgrids that deliver electricity directly to businesses and communities.
Microgrids can play a pivotal role in Ireland’s energy transition, enhancing energy security and reducing costs. Other policies announced today align with the early phases of the updated National Development Plan, which prioritises long-term investment in energy and infrastructure. As grid congestion and renewable integration challenges grow, microgrids offer a way to bypass bottlenecks, accelerate wind and solar deployment, and provide critical backup during outages.
Companies in life sciences, manufacturing, and other sectors Schneider Electric supports are already exploring onsite energy generation and sustainability solutions. However, planning and approval delays are slowing progress. Streamlining these processes is essential to unlocking the full potential of microgrids and creating a more reliable, adaptable energy system—one that operates at national, regional, and local levels, stores surplus energy, and redistributes it when needed. This would ultimately transform Ireland into a nation that not only consumes energy—but generates, stores, and shares it sustainably.”
