Last month set a new record for renewable energy production in August, according to early data from EirGrid, the grid operator.
Wind farms connected to the grid generated around 898 GWh (Gigawatt hours) of electricity in August, the highest amount ever recorded for that month. This accounted for 34% of the electricity used in Ireland, surpassing the previous record of 867 GWh set last year.
Grid-scale solar power also hit a milestone for the second month in a row, generating over 100 GWh in August. The 103 GWh produced made up 3.9% of the electricity demand, just slightly behind July's all-time record.
In total, 40% of the electricity used in August came from renewables, with overall demand for the month reaching 2,639 GWh.
Gas generation made up 37% of the electricity used (977 GWh), while 18.6% was imported via interconnection (492 GWh). Coal provided 3% (78 GWh), and the remaining 1% came from other sources.
EirGrid is leading Ireland’s push towards a low-carbon future, aiming to have 80% of electricity come from renewables by 2030, as outlined in government targets.
Diarmaid Gillespie, EirGrid’s Director of System Operations, said: “We had a bit more wind power this August compared to last year, but what’s really exciting is that the amount of solar energy generated nearly doubled from the same time last year. It shows just how quickly we’re bringing different types of renewables onto the grid.”
