Wind farms supplied 35% of electricity last year

Michael Bolton

Wind farms supplied 35 per cent of the State's energy in 2023, according to Wind Energy Ireland’s annual report.

The report shows this saved the State €918 million on gas, most of which would have to have been imported, while an additional €279 million (£240 million) was saved in Northern Ireland.

Irish wind farms saved approximately 4.2 million tonnes of carbon last year, roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon produced by 1.9 million cars.

A combination of high winds and relatively high fossil gas prices on January 12th resulted in a total avoided cost of €14 million on a single day, the report noted.

December saw the greatest monthly wind generation, with a total cost saving of €170 million.

"The more wind we can get on the electricity grid, the less we rely on imported gas and the more we can cut our carbon emissions and keep that money at home," Wind Energy Ireland chief executive Noel Cunniffe said.

"Our members can be proud of the role Irish wind farms are playing in supporting Irish electricity consumers and reducing our carbon emissions. It is a true success story, and we are on the way to an energy-independent future for Ireland."

However, he warned such energy-independence can only be achieved with a planning system which is fit for purpose, adding that EirGrid and ESB Networks much develop a "much stronger electricity grid" to get power where it is needed.