AQW 48341/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 10/06/2026
Answered On Date: 19/06/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any engagement her Department has had with industry, regarding the formation of an energy storage policy, given we are now just three and a half years from 2030, at which point 80 per cent of our energy consumption must come from renewable electricity generated in Northern Ireland.

Answer:

My Department has engaged extensively with a range of key stakeholders to inform the development of an Energy Storage Policy Statement. This has included ongoing engagement with the Utility Regulator, the System Operator, and industry stakeholders including developers and market participants.

This engagement has drawn on evidence from wider policy development work, including research on interconnection and storage, and consideration of stakeholder input through relevant consultations and market engagement.

As set out in the Energy Strategy Action Plan 2026, my Department has committed to publishing an Energy Storage Policy Statement by the end of 2026.