The consultation
The consultation, published on 3rd March 2025 and open until 14th April 2025, sought stakeholder views on a proposed policy that would allow multiple generation and/or storage technologies—such as wind, solar PV and battery storage—to dynamically share a single contracted MEC at a hybrid co‑located site. This proposal aimed to optimise the use of existing grid infrastructure, reduce connection timelines and costs, and accelerate the integration of renewable energy.
The CRU received 30 submissions from a broad cross‑section of industry, including developers, system operators, representative bodies, technology providers, academia and one private individual. Respondents provided detailed feedback across technical, operational, market and policy dimensions, addressing issues such as controllability, forecasting, metering requirements, market registration, Priority Dispatch interactions, and the future evolution of hybrid arrangements. This feedback directly informed the final decision.
Your views and suggestions
Stakeholders expressed broad support for enabling MEC sharing, recognising its potential to simplify hybrid project development, improve utilisation of existing grid infrastructure, and increase renewable output. Many respondents highlighted the benefits of combining technologies with complementary generation profiles, such as wind, solar and storage, to raise capacity factors and reduce dispatch‑down. At the same time, stakeholders identified a range of operational and market‑related issues, including the need for clear technical specifications, robust site‑level controls, accurate metering, reliable forecasting, and coordinated availability declarations. Several respondents raised concerns about interactions with Priority Dispatch, market registration, system services, and capacity market arrangements. Others noted that MEC sharing alone does not fully unlock hybrid potential and pointed to the future need for energy sharing and multiple legal entity arrangements. Overall, submissions were constructive and generally supportive, emphasising that successful implementation would require coherent updates across Grid and Distribution Codes, market rules, and operational processes.
Outcomes
The final decision on MEC sharing was developed following a detailed review of the System Operators’ (SOs) technical assessment, extensive feedback received through the public consultation and further engagement with the SOs. Stakeholder submissions helped inform key elements of the policy, including operational requirements and technical considerations for hybrid projects.
This evidence‑based process allowed the CRU to decide that the sharing of MEC at a single connection point shall be facilitated and CRU directed the SOs to proceed with the implementation of the decision.
In advance of the full implementation of this decision, the SOs are required to assess the existing rulesets, processes and codes, and update where necessary, to ensure that the sharing of MEC behind a connection point can be facilitated. A System Operator Implementation Roadmap is to be published by the SOs, which sets out the key activities and timelines required to progress implementation.
A summary of responses to the consultation and detailed assessment of those responses by CRU, along with the decision, is presented in Decision Paper CRU202643 (https://www.cru.ie/publications/29009/ )