Wind power in Ireland breaks records

The data comes from the Wind Energy Ireland monthly report. Overall, wind energy supplied 32% of Ireland's electricity in April 2022, up 7 percent from April 2021. This was the highest amount of energy ever generated by wind energy in April and follows a strong first quarter in which wind energy supplied about 39% of Ireland's electricity.

Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, said, "Every month wind energy is cutting our carbon emissions and helping to insulate Irish consumers from the worst effects of our dependence on expensive imported gas. Every new wind farm and solar farm connecting to the electricity system helps to make Ireland more energy independent. We need to accelerate the development of clean, cheap, renewable energy to push fossil fuels out of the electricity market."

Although the large amount of wind power helped bring the average wholesale electricity price down to €218.26 in April from its record high in March, that's still a 155 percent price increase from April 2021 and reflects Ireland's continued reliance on expensive imported fossil fuels.

As a result, Cunliffe is making demands of the Irish government: "Our planning system must be reformed and properly resourced to ensure that the renewable energy projects needed by the Climate Action Plan can get properly, but quickly, examined and we can move forward with getting those projects built."

Image: Wind Energy Ireland