Kestrel is a national-scale energy storage project designed to strengthen Ireland’s energy security and support the transition to a lower-carbon energy system. 

Led by ESB Generation and Trading, Bord Gáis Energy and dCarbonX, the project would repurpose the decommissioned Ballycotton gas field for secure underground storage. 

In the near term, Kestrel would provide strategic natural gas storage, helping protect Ireland from supply disruption, price volatility and wider system stress. Over time, the same infrastructure would transition to support green hydrogen or biomethane, enabling greater renewable energy integration while maintaining a secure and reliable energy system.