Latest news with #LesleyOConnor
Irish Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Lobby group for pan-European renewables ‘supergrid' launched by Irishwoman Lesley O'Connor
A new lobby group dedicated to accelerating the planning and delivery of a pan-European 'supergrid' for renewable energy has been formed by Irishwoman Lesley O'Connor. The organisation, SupergridEurope, will be guided by the vision set out in a book on the subject by Ms O'Connor's father, the renewables pioneer Eddie O'Connor who died last year. It was co-authored by Kevin O'Sullivan, who is environment and science editor with The Irish Times. The launch of the group comes ahead of the European Commission's grids package in the autumn, which will include legislation to ensure cross-border integrated grid planning. Ms O'Connor is a renewable energy investor with over a decade's experience advancing decarbonisation projects. She is a non-executive director of Aker Mainstream Renewables and has served on the board of Mainstream Renewable Power since 2015. READ MORE Ms O'Connor launched think-tank Trifecta Ireland aimed at influencing energy policy here in May. SupergridEurope, which will be based in Brussels, will be led by executive director Christian Kjaer who has extensive experience with renewables groups and is chief public affairs officer at SuperNode, chairman of CurrENT, and former chief executive of WindEurope. As a central policy priority, SupergridEurope is calling for the establishment of a European energy agency to serve as an independent grid architect. This agency would complement the Energy Union Task Force, work with the European Investment Bank, and be tasked with co-ordinating long-term grid planning. It would be tasked with providing transparent data, identifying grid innovation gaps, overseeing the delivery of big cross-border infrastructure, and ensuring that Europe's energy system evolves to meet its climate and competitiveness ambitions. 'The realisation of a pan-European electricity supergrid is no longer a technical debate – it's an urgent political priority for maintaining European competitiveness that requires governance reform,' said Ms O'Connor. SupergridEurope said Europe must move beyond 'fragmented initiatives' to drive European competitiveness through innovation, affordable energy and the reduction of excessive dependences. 'Using innovative grid technologies, we can provide cost-competitive, indigenous energy across a unified European market,' it said. Mr Kjaer said a supergrid is the 'enabler for establishing the free movement of electricity as a fifth European freedom'.
Irish Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
New think tank set up to focus on Irish energy policy
A new think tank aimed at influencing energy policy is to be launched in Dublin on Tuesday. The group, called Trifecta Ireland, is founded by renewable energy practitioner and investor Lesley O'Connor. The new organisation said it aims to 'reshape how policy and decision makers are thinking about energy transformation, and to realise the social, environmental and economic opportunities arising'. The group said it will work with the State and the private sector, as well as with the science community, to 'create conditions for greater investment in electrification and renewable energy infrastructure'. READ MORE 'Ireland is blessed with abundant wind and ample solar, but what we lack today is a unified vision and implementation plan that connects policy, investment, innovation and society,' said Ms O'Connor. 'Without this we risk being a bystander in the electric revolution. 'Trifecta Ireland will help address these challenges. We want to inspire urgent action.' Ms O'Connor is the daughter of the late Eddie O'Connor , who was cofounder of Mainstream Renewable Energy and founder of Eirtricity, now SSE Airtricity . [ Eddie O'Connor obituary: Global entrepreneur in the energy sector and radical thinker Opens in new window ] Conall Bolger has been appointed chief executive. Mr Bolger has worked in renewable energy for almost two decades in roles with Airtricity, Mainstream Renewable Power, Cornwall Insight and the Crown Estate. He was most recently the chief executive of Solar Ireland. Jim Breslin, who is a co-founder of the group, will chair the advisory board. Trifecta said he has 'deep experience in public policy' having been secretary general of three different government departments. Among Trifecta's initial priorities will be the drafting of a 'vision and roadmap' for the 'transformation' of Ireland's energy systems. 'The plan will take a whole system view and will be developed with key stakeholders, it said. 'The aim is to build consensus around a credible shared pathway to a decarbonised energy system by 2050.' Arising from this roadmap, Trifecta said it will deliver projects focused on shorter-term 'decarbonisation wins' and encouraging capital flows to help 'supercharge the transition', it said.
