Ireland‘s Renewable Energy Surged to 42% of Electricity Generation in September
Dublin,Ireland – Renewable energy sources provided 42% of Ireland’s electricity in September,according to provisional data released by national grid operator EirGrid. Wind farms were the largest contributor, generating 34% of the country’s total electricity supply for the month.
Overall electricity production reached 920 gigawatt hours (GWh) in September, a important increase from the 776 GWh recorded during the same period last year. Grid-scale solar contributed 97 GWh, representing approximately 4% of the total electricity generated.
Demand for electricity rose slightly to 2715 GWh compared to August,coinciding with colder and windier weather conditions.
“Wind energy represented the vast majority of renewable generation last month, which demonstrates the continued importance of this source of electricity for the power system,” stated Diarmaid gillespie, director of system operations at EirGrid.
EirGrid anticipates a shift in the fuel mix as winter approaches, with wind generation expected to become even more prominent and overall electricity demand increasing, notably following the end of daylight saving time at the end of October.
The Irish Government recently announced a €3.5 billion investment in EirGrid and the ESB as part of Tuesday’s budget, earmarked for strengthening and upgrading the nation’s energy infrastructure.