The grid connection process in Ireland is changing. With the recent publication of the regulator’s latest Enduring Connection Policy (ECP-1) policy document, planning permission is set to become a pre-requisite for prospective developers of generation projects looking for a grid connection.

Until now, there was no requirement to show evidence of having obtained planning permission before applying for grid.

This is good news for those projects which are real and can be built. And it is indeed a major reshuffle of the circa 33,200 megawatts of existing grid connection applications currently queued.

Although that is a startling figure, the volume of connection applications in the system is significantly more than the all-island total electricity demand and predicted future requirements.

In addition, most of the projects included in that figure are unlikely to get planning.

Certain projects will be exempt from the planning requirement (projects which qualify for the DS3 programme to improve the safety and stability of the electricity system, for example), but these are few in number and in most cases do not apply to wind or solar.

Another important change to the existing grid connection process is the limitation to relocate capacity. It is proposed under the new ECP-1 that projects cannot be moved more than 100m to an alternative location. And this is significant when, for example, obtaining planning becomes impossible at the original location.

Once the new ECP-1 is in place, applicants for grid connection will be processed in batches based on their valid planning permission date. A first batch of approximately 1,000 megawatts is expected to be processed in 2018.

Obviously, if planning is going to be key, your substation design and what your grid connection will look like are going to be decisive factors not to be treated lightly.

Professional grid connection consultants will have a key role to play in designing these aspects for developers. In the coming years, these are going to be pivotal for a good project start or for adapting existing projects to the new policy.

I welcome the introduction of this new connection policy. So far, it appears to provide the necessary tools to sort out the current grid connection debacle. Speculating and hoarding grid capacity will be a thing of the past, or at least that’s the idea.

Carlos Galvan is the managing director of Gridconnect and can be contacted at cgalvan@gridconnect.ie