This article is based on insights from the University of Galway’s Impact & Opinions platform, authored by Handy Borges Schiavon, PhD Student, Civil Engineering, University of Galway and Cathy Ní Ghóill, General Manager of Comharchumann Forbartha Árann (CFA).
For the full story, read the original article here.
As part of the INTELLIGENT Project (a Horizon Europe Programme), the Aran Islands, specifically Inis Mór, serve as one of four European pilot sites for peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading. By participating in INTELLIGENT, the Aran Islands are testing a scalable model for decentralized energy markets, aligning with their goal of becoming a carbon-neutral community.
The Pilot site is situated on Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands off Ireland’s west coast, approximately 20 kilometers from Rossaveal in County Galway. The island, home to around 800 residents, is characterized by its remote, rural environment, with tourism and fishing as the main economic activities.
The pilot covers 22 buildings, including 16 residential, 2 commercial, and 4 public buildings distributed across the island. At present, the Inis Mór Island pilot site maintains a partially operational smart energy infrastructure. Although the original deployment included 22 buildings, 11 of these – comprising 8 residential and 3 commercial units are currently active. These buildings are equipped with renewable energy assets such as PV systems, batteries, and, to a limited extent, heat pumps.
Long before renewable energy projects arrived at the island, there was a sense of collective responsibility and that mindset naturally aligned with the idea of ‘energy communities.
Working with researchers from Informatics Research Unit for Sustainable Engineering (IRUSE) group at the University of Galway and the INTELLIGENT, RESTOR and ICONIC projects that have examined areas such as energy sharing, renewable storage, and community-led energy systems. Some of the greatest benefits of peer-to-peer energy sharing initiatives have been the exchange of knowledge among communities, researchers, and project partners.
“It’s not just about technology; it’s about how communities can actively participate in generation, storage, and distribution, rather than being passive consumers,” Cathy Ní Ghóill explains.
Aran Islands, Ireland. Photo Credits: alessandra1barbieri & alboomen on Pixabay.
