Gas infrastructure is needed while we wean off fossil fuels
It can seem counterintuitive, but we need additional gas infrastructure to wean us off fossil fuels.
The Irish Examiner published a piece written by MaREI Director Prof Brian O’Gallachóir in light of last week’s decision by An Bord Pleanála to approve planning permission for Shannon LNG to build a new gas-fired power plant and large-scale battery plant.
Drawing on research at University College Cork, it’s clear that
1) We need to wean ourselves off natural gas and other fossil fuels
2) We also need to increase the security of the electricity supply
3) New gas-fired power plants are essential, but need to operate very differently
4) Gas security of supply is also essential as we wean off natural gas
Building new gas infrastructure is essential for increasing the electricity security of supply and for gas security of supply, but if, and only if, this infrastructure is operated such that Ireland is quickly and urgently weaned off gas usage.
