A new study by Wind Energy Ireland has found that Ireland could potentially generate an additional 6,000 MW of onshore wind energy, more than tripling the country’s current capacity.
The study, Protecting Consumers: Our onshore wind energy opportunity, which was carried out alongside environmental consultancy MKO, identified available land across Ireland that would be suitable for future wind development.
It identified approximately 1,302 square kilometres of land on which wind farms could be built – around 2% of Ireland’s total area – the capacity from which would be enough to produce nearly 6,000 MW of onshore wind energy.
Protecting families and businesses
“We need to protect Irish electricity consumers and onshore wind energy is Ireland’s most affordable source of new electricity,” commented Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland. “The more wind energy that we can develop, the less we rely on imported fossils fuels, and the better protected Irish families and businesses are from a volatile fossil fuel market.
“Every month we see wind energy reducing electricity costs. Tripling our onshore wind capacity, which is possible by delivering our existing pipeline and developing the land identified in this research, would drive these costs down even further.”
A separate report published earlier this year found that between 2000 and 2023, onshore wind farms saved Irish electricity consumers nearly €840 million.
“We are calling on the Government to set new targets for onshore wind energy of 11,000 MW by 2035 and 15,000 MW by 2040,” Cunniffe added.
More ambitious targets
Wind Energy Ireland’s study also called on the government to establish more ambitious targets for wind energy development, such as 11,000 MW by 2035 and 15,000 MW by 2040, which would be supported by regional policies to guide development, reinforcing the electricity grid to accommodate the additional energy.
“Ireland has significant additional potential to harness our indigenous onshore wind energy resource,” added Brian Keville, managing director of MKO Ireland.
“This analysis clearly demonstrates that a significant amount of onshore wind energy can be delivered in just two per cent of the country’s land mass, while taking account of planning and environmental constraints and design requirements.” Read more here.
