Welcome to Higher Ground NI

In the fight against climate change, Northern Ireland under the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, has legally committed to cutting its net level of greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050.

Northern Ireland is fortunate to have world-leading levels of wind energy to help deliver against this important target.

At times, we produce more renewable electricity than is required or can be exported to Great Britian or the Republic of Ireland, and as a result wind turbines are turned off. Not using this surplus renewable energy is called curtailment which is not only wasteful but also increases costs for consumers.

At other times, the wind doesn’t blow, meaning there isn’t enough renewable energy to meet our electricity needs, resulting in a shortfall that requires carbon emitting gas fired generators to be used.

Northern Ireland urgently needs to find solutions to this growing renewable curtailment problem if the region’s net zero ambition is to be delivered.

The key to unlocking NI’s carbon free future is the development of large-scale energy storage solutions, like the Higher Ground project.

Northern Ireland is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050

Pumped Hydro Energy Storage is considered an ideal energy storage solution for regions like NI, where renewable resources like wind and solar power are being harnessed

Renewable energy will help achieve this but sometimes we produce more renewable electricity than is required and at other times there is a shortfall when the wind doesn’t blow

Higher Ground is a feasibility study to examine the potential to develop Northern Ireland's first Pumped Hydro Storage Scheme

Key to unlocking our net zero targets is large scale energy storage to capture surplus renewable energy

Essentially the scheme would act as a large-scale water based ‘battery’ for storing renewable energy

Welcome to Higher Ground NI

Enabling our renewable energy future

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