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The report claims that Kerry, Cork and Tipperary are the main producers of wind energy in Ireland, while Wind Energy Ireland continues to call for planning reform.
Irish wind energy continues to hit new records as it provided 43pc of the country’s electricity last month, according to a new report by Wind Energy Ireland.
The new report shows that Irish wind farms generated 1,541 GWh of power in March 2024, surpassing the previous record of 1,392 GWh set in March 2020.
The report also claims the average wholesale price of electricity dropped significantly last month compared to March 2023. The average price was €88.67 last month, a 40pc drop compared to March last year.
Wind Energy Ireland director of external affairs Justin Moran spoke positively on the results and said that a growth in wind energy means Ireland can “cut our carbon emissions at the same time as we cut our fuel imports”.
“Every time a wind turbine is generating electricity, it is reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels, helping to push down wholesale electricity prices and increasing our supply of clean energy to power our homes, businesses and local communities.” Moran said. “The quicker we can build wind farms, the sooner we can help to bring down the cost of electricity and support struggling electricity consumers.
“We hope to see the new Planning and Development Bill enacted this year, which will help to modernise the Irish planning system and ensure that planning applications are thoroughly, but quickly, examined.”
Wind Energy Ireland has been critical of Ireland’s current planning procedures in the past. A report in January claimed wind energy hit a new record in Ireland last year, but Wind Energy Ireland called for planning reform and grid reinforcement to help build more wind farms.
Meanwhile, the latest report also includes figures at a county level for the first time, thanks to the organisation’s partnership with the Green Collective. The report claims Kerry produced the most wind power last month, followed by Cork and Tipperary.
Wind Energy Ireland claims these three counties generated enough electricity to meet nearly a third of Ireland’s total electricity demand.
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