Ireland Electrified welcomes the Private Wires Bill 2025
As Ireland accelerates its climate ambitions, electrification will be central to delivering deep, durable emissions reductions across heat, transport and industry.
Electricity is already becoming cleaner every year. As more renewable generation connects to the system, particularly wind and solar, the carbon intensity of Irish electricity continues to fall. This means that every additional heat pump installed, every electric vehicle deployed, and every industrial process electrified will increasingly run on low carbon power.
Electrification is therefore not simply about switching technologies. It is about aligning Ireland’s energy demand with its growing renewable supply. Done properly, it allows us to reduce fossil fuel imports, cut emissions, improve energy security and build a more competitive economy.
However, Ireland is now reaching a point where renewable generation is sometimes reduced, even when the wind is blowing.
Curtailment occurs when available renewable electricity cannot be used due to system constraints.
Dispatch down refers to system operators instructing generators to reduce output to maintain grid stability.
At the same time, fossil fuels are still widely used for heat and transport. Bridging this gap requires smarter infrastructure and new delivery models.
The Private Wires Bill 2025 is a key part of that solution.
What are private wires?
Private wires are direct electricity connections between a generator and a consumer that do not use the public electricity network for delivery.
In practical terms, this could mean:
- A wind or solar farm directly supplying an industrial facility
- A renewable generator supplying a district heating system
- A clean power source supporting smart, flexible EV charging
- Hybrid heat systems that can switch between electricity and other fuels depending on system conditions
These arrangements can allow renewable electricity that might otherwise be curtailed to be productively consumed. They can also support demand side flexibility, enabling large energy users to respond to grid conditions in real time.
The Private Wires Bill 2025 establishes a clear legal and regulatory framework for such connections, under the oversight of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities. This provides certainty and safety oversight while enabling innovation and protecting overall grid integrity.
Why this legislation matters for electrification
The Private Wires Bill creates a practical bridge between renewable electricity supply and the energy demand in heat and transport.
By enabling direct connections between generators and energy users, the legislation allows renewable peaks to be absorbed by flexible loads such as electrified industrial heat, district heating and smart EV charging, rather than being curtailed.
Importantly, the Bill does this within a clear licensing and safety framework, ensuring that innovation strengthens system reliability rather than undermining it.
With the right framework in place, private wires can help:
- reduce renewable curtailment,
- accelerate industrial electrification,
- enable flexible EV charging,
- improve overall system efficiency
- strengthen Ireland’s long term competitiveness.
Our proposed refinements
Ireland Electrified welcomes the Private Wires Bill 2025 as an enabling reform that can materially support Ireland’s decarbonisation strategy.
In our submission to the pre legislative scrutiny process, we have proposed a small number of targeted clarifications to strengthen the Bill.
In particular, we suggest clarifying some wording so that, in assessing licence applications, the CRU may explicitly consider whether a project:
- Enhances flexible electrification of heat and transport
- Supports demand response and sector coupling
- Reduces renewable curtailment or dispatch down
We also highlight the importance of timely approval and delivery to ensure viable projects can proceed at pace.
These refinements would ensure that private wire proposals are assessed not only on their connection to generation, but also on their wider system value, including their contribution to flexibility and balancing where technically feasible.
Ireland Electrified is pleased to support the Private Wires Bill 2025 and looks forward to continued engagement to ensure the final legislation fully supports flexible electrification and long term decarbonisation.
You can read our full submission to the pre legislative scrutiny process here: Ireland Electrified Response to Private Wires Bill 2025