A record amount of energy was generated from wind in August, new figures have confirmed.
Last month, wind provided 33% of Ireland’s energy - an increase of 71% in comparison to August 2022.
In the first eight months of 2023, wind generated 32% of the island’s energy needs and on one day, August 19th, that figure was nearly two thirds.
Wind Energy Ireland CEO Noel Cunniffe said the industry was key to bringing down people’s energy bills.
Wind turbines in Kilgarvan, Kerry. Image: David Creedon / Alamy“The quicker we can build wind farms, the sooner we can rely on Irish renewable energy to provide our electricity,” he said.
“We know that not a single onshore wind farm has received planning permission from An Bord Pleanála in the last 12 months. This is a blueprint for failure.
“That is why we are calling on the Government to invest greater resources in our planning system as part of the Budget in October.
“Without this vital investment, we will fail to grow the amount of indigenous energy we produce, fail to continue decreasing wholesale electricity prices, and put at risk our ability to reach our legally binding climate targets.”
The Government aims to generate 80% of Ireland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Main image: Wind turbines and powerful sea waves on the coast of Wexford in Ireland. Picture by: Bernard Golden / Alamy
