Microsoft Ireland has announced its financial and technical backing for a community infrastructure initiative designed to redirect surplus renewable electricity to social housing across County Kildare and South Dublin.
Partnering with Kildare County Council, South Dublin County Council, and the non-profit organisation EnergyCloud, the project will install smart energy devices in 400 social homes to convert curtailed grid electricity into free domestic hot water.
The initiative directly addresses structural limitations within Ireland’s national electrical grid. As the country’s renewable energy capacity expands, localized grid congestion often prevents the system from absorbing peak power outputs. Annually, up to 11.4 per cent of generated wind energy—and 12 per cent of aggregate renewable energy—is wasted due to grid curtailment. On a standard night of peak generation, the volume of surplus national electricity lost is equivalent to the thermal energy required to heat approximately three million domestic water tanks.
Under the newly expanded scheme, participating properties will be equipped with specialized EnergyCloud smart switches. When EirGrid signals that renewable energy is being curtailed on the network, the devices automatically activate to route the otherwise wasted electricity directly to the home’s water immersion heater.
The rollout includes the following regional deployments:
- County Kildare: Introduced to the area for the first time, the system will be deployed across 200 social housing units, directly benefiting an estimated 550 residents.
- South Dublin: Building on an initial pilot programme in Clondalkin, the initiative will expand to integrate an additional 200 social homes across the wider council territory.
The project aligns with Microsoft’s broader community investment strategy. Since 2008, the technology firm has deployed €4.5 million into local development initiatives positioned near its active and planned data centre assets, fulfilling commitments established under its global Datacentre Community Pledge.
James Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, noted at the launch that surplus renewable electricity can be, “Put to practical use in people’s homes – reducing waste, supporting households, and advancing our national climate ambitions.”
Lavinia Morris, General Manager of EMEA Data Centre Operations at Microsoft, added, “Collaboration and technology can deliver meaningful local benefits and make a real difference to hundreds of local people across Kildare and South Dublin.”
Pamela Kearns, Mayor of South Dublin County Council, characterised the broader social significance of the engineering solution as, “Not just a climate solution but a step towards ‘climate justice’ – turning wasted energy into something as essential as hot water for households that need it most.”
