Ireland achieved its third-highest July on record for wind power generation, according to a recent report from Wind Energy Ireland. The data reveals that wind farms produced 656 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity last month.
Wind farms in Cork led the way, generating 80 GWh, followed by Kerry with 66 GWh and Galway with 55 GWh. Together, these counties contributed nearly one-third of Ireland's total wind energy for the month.
Despite these strong figures, the report highlights that wind energy met only 22% of Ireland's electricity demand in July, a decrease of 11% compared to the same month in 2023, when record-breaking levels were achieved.
Other renewable sources, including solar power, accounted for an additional 7% of Ireland's electricity generation.
The average wholesale price of electricity in July was €110.94 per megawatt-hour, a slight increase from €107.74 in June. However, on days with high wind energy production, the average cost dropped by 36% to €70.30 per megawatt-hour. In contrast, reliance on fossil fuels saw the price rise to €129.95 per megawatt-hour.
Justin Moran, Director of External Affairs at Wind Energy Ireland, emphasized the importance of wind energy for reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and lowering electricity costs for consumers. "The more wind we can get on the system, the less we have to rely on expensive imported gas and the more we can do to help Irish households struggling with high energy costs," he stated.
Wind farms have provided 32% of Ireland’s electricity in the first seven months of 2024, underscoring their critical role in the country's energy mix.
Source: rte.ie