Ireland's inaugural hybridised grid stabilisation installation has been formally opened by Taoiseach Micheál Martin at Shannonbridge in County Offaly, combining a 4,000 MVA synchronous condenser with a 180 MW battery energy storage system, the Westmeath Independent reports.

The Shannonbridge B project, developed by Irish company Lumcloon Energy in partnership with South Korea's Hanwha Group, enhances energy security and grid resilience through dual-technology deployment. The battery system can export up to 20 MW of electricity to the national grid for nine hours.

Synchronous condenser technology utilises a generator linked to a flywheel with energy storage capacity, mitigating frequency variations, improving system inertia and enhancing grid stability. The battery component stores surplus renewable energy for release onto the national grid when required.

Construction commenced in 2023 with completion in the second half of 2025. The system is situated adjacent to the 220 kV Shannonbridge transmission station, enabling the dual-technology project to enhance renewable energy dependability and grid stability.

Taoiseach Martin said: "As Ireland's first hybridised grid-stabilisation system, the Shannonbridge B project is exactly the kind of infrastructure required to accelerate the decarbonisation of Ireland's power system."

"Not only is this project representative of the renewable energy transition, but it's also an important investment to support local communities in Offaly and the surrounding region to enable a just transition with the creation of new, highly skilled jobs in the renewable energy sector," Martin said.

Nigel Reams, chief executive of Lumcloon Energy, described the project as combining long-term international investment strength with Irish development expertise. Jaekyu Lee, chief executive of Hanwha Energy, characterised the delivery as demonstrating commitment to pioneering sustainable energy solutions addressing complex power grid challenges.

Examine the full details about the Shannonbridge hybrid facility in the full report.