IRELAND GENERATED A higher proportion of its energy through wind power last month than ever before, a new report by Wind Energy Ireland has revealed.

This was also an increase of 7% in wind energy generation from April 2021.

The April Wind Energy report found that 32% of the country’s power was generated by wind turbines at a time when consumers are facing increasing energy costs due to the rising price of fuel.

The report said that power generated from turbines in April helped to push down the average wholesale price of electricity for the month to €218.26 per megawatt-hour from its record high of €293.25 in March.

The average household consumes 4.6 megawatt-hours of electricity each year.

This was also an increase of 7% in wind energy generation from April 2021.

The report found that the average price of electricity was 18.5% lower on April’s windiest days when compared to days with the little or no wind.

Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, welcomed the publication of the record-breaking data.

“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,” he said.

“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.” 

Cunniffe blames this reliance on fossil fuels electricity prices being 155% higher than they were last April.

“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.”

April followed a strong first quarter of the year for wind energy, during which wind contributed 39% of Ireland’s generating capacity.

Electricity prices in Ireland remain are the fourth highest in the EU and 26% higher than the EU average.

Many energy suppliers have announced that price increases would be taking effect during the year, with Electric Ireland electricity prices set to rise by 23.4%: an additional €297.58 per year.

In April Eirgrid announced that up to three quarters of electricity flowing through the national electricity grid at any time can now come from variable renewable sources following an eleven month project on the grid.

The company now aims to continue upgrading the grid to increase this figure to 95% by 2030 in order to achieve Government renewable energy targets.

Wind Energy Ireland has said that Ireland’s electricity can be net zero emissions by 2035.