Offers from generating companies to connect new renewable electricity sources to the grid will in future be dealt with in twice yearly batches, the utilities regulator has said.
Currently new generators and those offering electricity storage must apply to EirGrid and ESB Networks to connect to the grid.
This is done through a single batch application process once a year, carried out over a one-month period.
After that the projects which connect are allowed to move to participate in energy markets and supply power.
The Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) said today because demand for power is rising due to a growing population and economy, it is important that permitting and the delivery of new projects is accelerated.
It said the previous system of dealing with applications just once a year restricted the number of projects that may have applied for a connection, because they were at different stages of development.
So now the CRU is moving to a system where applications will be processed twice a year at six monthly intervals.
There will also be a new pre-engagement process in advance of applications being submitted.
"Electricity connection policy has evolved over the last number of years to take account of changes in Government and European policy, as well as greater innovation and availability of new technologies," said Phil Hemmingway, CRU director of decarbonisation.
"The objective of this new connection policy is to provide increased opportunities for generation projects to connect to the network in an accelerated timeframe, delivering a higher level of renewable sources of generation that, in the long term, will provide greater sustainability and security of supply to our electricity network for customers".
CRU said the new process will begin in the spring or summer period of next year, with the first deadline for applications to take place in September 2025.
The new connection policy will also only require completed planning permission applications to be acknowledged and not fully granted planning permission as was the case under the previous policy, in order for renewable projects to enter the application process.
This is to allow the parallel processing of both planning and grid permits and to speed up permitting timelines, it said.
