01 · Stat of the week

22.4%

EVs' share of new car sales in Ireland, year-to-date 2026. Ahead of petrol (21.3%) and diesel (13%). Battery electrics are now the largest single segment of the Irish new car market.

Source · SIMI registrations 2026 YTD, via The Journal

02 · Energy news roundup

Brussels blocks the indigenous biomethane multiplier in the RHO

The European Commission has ruled the proposed multiplier for Irish-produced biomethane in the Renewable Heat Obligation incompatible with EU internal market rules. IrBEA's Seán Finan has called it a "make-or-break" moment for the sector; the IFA at the same time named the RHO as the principal bottleneck on farm-side renewables uptake. A €200m capital grant scheme is reportedly under consideration in response, with design and consultants yet to be appointed. In practice: any obliged supplier reading their 2027 compliance position now has a route to cheaper biomethane from Czech, German or Danish producers, with no domestic preference mechanism currently in place. Build economics for Irish AD will need to be re-examined against the revised support architecture.

4 min read · Agriland · Bioenergy Insight · Farmers Journal

Celtic Interconnector commissioning moves to end of 2028

EirGrid confirmed last week that the 500km Cork-to-Brittany subsea cable, originally due to go live in 2026, will not be commissioned before Q4 2028. Slower-than-expected seabed conditions and cable protection operations are cited. The interconnector will be Ireland's first direct EU power link since Brexit, and will supply largely nuclear-derived French electricity once live. EirGrid notes the new date is itself weather-dependent.

3 min read · Irish Examiner · EirGrid

Corio's Sceirde Rocks: €50m on project costs before withdrawal

New accounts for Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta — the Corio Generation / Macquarie-backed developer of the 450MW Sceirde Rocks project off Carna — show €50m in project costs across three financial years, accumulated losses of €56m, and statements no longer prepared on a going-concern basis. The €1.4bn, 30-turbine scheme would have powered 350,000 homes; the directors withdrew the project in April 2025 citing "market conditions and project specific constraints." Three Galway investors are now pursuing legal action against Corio related to the share purchase agreement.

3 min read · Irish Times

Activ8 and SSE Airtricity launch €200m commercial-solar PPA programme

The all-island initiative, launched this morning with Minister O'Brien in attendance, funds, installs and maintains on-site solar PV for Irish businesses with no upfront cost, recouped through 15–25 year corporate PPAs. Targeted at manufacturing, logistics and large commercial energy users. In practice, the programme removes the upfront capex barrier that has typically slowed commercial-rooftop adoption among mid-market firms, and gives participating companies a fixed energy cost line over a multi-decade horizon.

2 min read · Activ8 Energies

03 · Open consultations

⏱ URGENT · 2 DAYS LEFT

CRU · Transmission Network Charges for Energy Storage — minded-to interim decision

The CRU proposes to remove D-TUoS charges from Energy Storage Units (ESUs) from the 2026/27 tariff year and charge them on a G-TUoS basis — treating them as generators rather than as demand. The CRU's own analysis, drawing on ECA modelling, estimates a ~30% lift in storage utilisation and ~€37m per year of net customer savings through reduced curtailment and balancing costs. Applies to standalone and co-located ESUs; does not apply to storage co-located with demand or to autoproducer users. Replaces the 2020 interim decision; the wider network tariff review is still to come.

In practice: the decision sets how storage projects will be charged from 1 October 2026. Material for anyone financing or building BESS in Ireland.

Deadline: Close of business · Wednesday 13 May 2026

04 · Job postings

Managing Director, Offshore — EirGrid · Dublin

Standing up EirGrid's new standalone Offshore business unit. Senior Executive Leadership Team, reporting to the CEO. Multi-billion-euro capital programme; end-to-end delivery of offshore transmission. Via Odgers Ireland.
Closes 12 noon, Friday 29 May 2026

Chief Executive Officer — EAI · Dublin

All-island trade body for generators, retailers and distributors; Eurelectric member for Ireland. Via Lansdowne Executive Search.
Closes 22 May 2026

Power Solutions Manager — AWS · Dublin / London / Madrid

Originate generation and storage projects across EMEA for AWS data centres (Amazon Energy Eoraip). 10+ years sector experience.
Rolling

Offtake Partnership Manager, Renewable Energy Parks — BnM · Midlands

Corporate PPA strategy and commercial development for BnM's Renewable Energy Parks pipeline. 10+ years energy industry experience.
Closing date to confirm

Associate Director, Portfolio · Climate & Infrastructure Capital — AIB · Dublin

Portfolio management for AIB's project finance book in renewables and infrastructure across Ireland, the UK, Europe and North America.
Rolling

05 · Conferences & webinars

Thu 14 May · BnM Energy Conference — Accelerate Green 2026

Tullamore Court Hotel · Capstone of BnM's Accelerate Green programme. Energy and policy. This Thursday.

Tue–Wed 26–27 May · Wind Energy Ireland Offshore Wind Conference

Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, Dublin.

Wed–Thu 17–18 Jun · Energy Ireland 2026

Croke Park, Dublin. The main set-piece of the Irish energy calendar.

Thu 18 Jun · Solar Ireland 2026 — Energising Life

RDS, Dublin.

Tue 30 Jun · Energy Storage Ireland Annual Conference

Hogan Suite, Croke Park.

Wed–Thu 18–19 Nov · H2 Summit 2026 — Hydrogen Ireland

Fota Island Resort, Cork. Theme: "Hydrogen for Energy, Industry and Data Resilience in a Connected Europe." Co-hosted by Hydrogen Ireland and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership; anchored to Ireland's EU Presidency.

"With the indigenous multiplier removed, the RHO will deliver renewable gas to Irish heat users. Whether any of it is produced on Irish soil is now a separate policy question. One that needs a swift answer."

Philip Connolly
Editor · EnergyView

Sources this week: Agriland · Bioenergy Insight · Farmers Journal · Irish Examiner · Irish Times · RTÉ · EirGrid · CRU · Activ8 Energies · The Journal

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