Which is worse for wildlife, windfarms or oil drilling?
04th Feb 2025
In an article for the BBC, Sophie Hardach compares the effects of windfarms and oil drilling. Read the article from the BBC website here
Wind and solar farms have saved Irish electricity consumers €840 million since 2000 – report
28th Jan 2025
Renewable power generated from wind and solar has saved Irish electricity customers as much as €840 million, energy specialists Baringa have said.
The firm‘s analysis of how renewables are influencing price has found the financial benefit of developing renewable energy in the Irish market has significantly outweighed all possible costs for consumers “even based on conservative estimates“.
A study commissioned by Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) – which represents the wind sector – said savings produced by Ireland‘s reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels “exceeded the expense of support schemes, grid network development and other costs by close to €840 million“ since 2000.
Wind farms were credited with just under 98 per cent of these net savings, with solar farms contributing the rest. Ireland‘s wind generation capacity has grown since 2000 from 117 megawatts to more than 5,000MW installed across the country, while more than 600MW of solar generation has been connected in recent years.
Last year, according to Green Collective data, nearly two-fifths of the country‘s electricity came from renewables. This scaling-up of renewable energy sources since 2000 has also cut Irish spending on fossil fuels by €7.4 billion and prevented production of more than 47 million tonnes of carbon dioxide up to the end of 2023, it says.Home-grown renewables have also insulated consumers from recent spiralling fuel costs, cutting bills by an average of €320 per person between 2020 and 2023.
Releasing the report to coincide with the opening of WEI‘s annual conference in Dublin today, its chief executive Noel Cunniffe said: “It shows every single wind turbine we build and every set of solar panels we install helps Irish families and businesses to save money.
Since 2021 alone, renewables have displaced almost €4 billion worth of fossil fuels, insulating Irish consumers from the very worst of the impacts of the fossil fuel energy crisis. But we should still be paying less.”
[ When‘s the best time to use the dishwasher and wash clothes? The recommended periods and why wind matters ]
By remainingdependent on imported gas “we are letting the price we pay for electricity be dictated to us by international fossil fuel companies. Every hour, Ireland is spending €1 million to import fossil fuels, but there is a viable alternative–a way to keep this money at home,” he said.
We can dothis by building more wind and solar farms, reinforcing our electricity grid, electrifying our heat and transport systems, and working with our EU partners to reform the common electricity market. “The incoming government can save Irish consumers millions of euros, while also ensuring a clean, secure, domestic energy supply and creating thousands of jobs.
The Baringa analysis predicts, if gas prices remain high and if Ireland reaches the government target of 80 per cent renewable electricity, consumer bills could fall by a further €610 million from 2030.
When electricity bills are among the highest in Europe it can be hard for families or small businesses struggling to pay bills to feel the benefit of these savings, Mr Cunniffe said.
The reality is our bills will remain too high for precisely as long as we choose–and it is a choice–to maintain our dependency on imported gas, to allow the CEOs of fossil fuel companies to decide how much a family in Roscrea should pay to charge their car or how much it costs a farm in Monaghan to run a milking parlour.
He further said the next five years wouldintroduce an opportunity to make unprecedented progress in moving towardsreliance on self-produced renewables and accelerating the next phase of Ireland‘s economic development, byprovidingmore affordable,cleaner power into homes and businesses by 2030 and laying the foundation for Irish energy independence.
source : The Irish Times
Supporting Ireland’s Energy Transition with Battery Storage Solution
05th Dec 2024
Wind and solar power are central to Ireland’s shift away from fossil-fuel-based electricity generation. However, these renewable energy sources need to be stored for periods when wind and sunlight are unavailable, according to Clare Duffy of ESB.
While wind and solar energy are significantly helping reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions, they present a key challenge: intermittency. The wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine. So, the question arises: how can we meet electricity demand when renewable energy sources aren’t fully available?
“One way to address this is by storing excess renewable energy in large-scale batteries,” says Clare Duffy. “There are times when renewable energy generation exceeds the country’s demand, such as on windy or sunny days. By developing storage capacity, companies like ESB can store this surplus energy and have it available to supply power instantly when needed, ensuring a stable electricity supply.”
She further explains that ESB envisions a secure, net-zero energy system for Ireland by 2050, which will rely on three main components: renewable energy, energy storage, and traditional backup generation. This integrated approach will not only improve energy security by reducing Ireland’s reliance on fossil fuels from unstable regions but also support the growth of domestically produced energy. “Essentially, we’re swapping geopolitical risk for meteorological risk, meaning backup technologies will always be necessary to complement renewable energy,” she adds.
As part of ESB’s strategy to reach net-zero by 2040, Duffy and her team are exploring investment opportunities to build energy storage systems, grid services, and backup generation facilities. These will ensure Ireland’s energy security in the near-to-medium term and help integrate renewable energy more effectively in the long term.
Source: The Irish Times
Wind Energy Ireland slams “anti-wind” development plans
29th Nov 2024
Wind Energy Ireland has argued that ‘anti-wind’ development plans are hindering the country’s progress toward its climate goals.
CEO Noel Cunniffe emphasized that planning is the most significant obstacle to reducing reliance on fossil fuels. He pointed out that the Planning Bill could help improve the situation, highlighting that only one wind farm was approved between July and September this year.
“This means only 13% of the capacity needed for that period was approved, which is far from what we need to achieve our 2030 targets,” Cunniffe said.
He explained that the combination of insufficient resources at An Bord Pleanála for renewable energy projects and county development plans that oppose wind energy would result in Ireland remaining dependent on imported fossil fuels for a longer period.
Cunniffe called for the Planning and Development Bill to be supported with additional resources.
“The Planning and Development Bill has the potential to accelerate the delivery of more wind energy projects,” he said. “It establishes mandatory decision timelines for both An Bord Pleanála and planning authorities. However, new legislation alone won’t be effective without more resources in the planning sector and amendments to county development plans to support renewable energy.”
In the third quarter of this year, two applications were denied, and 31 additional projects are still awaiting decisions.
Build Our Grid – Email Your Candidates Now
27th Nov 2024
The Build Our Grid campaign is appealing to everyone to email this general election’s candidates to request them to make building a stronger, reniforced electricity grid an election priority. We want our represtatives to support the implementation of EirGrid’s Shaping Our Electricity Future to build new grid infranstructure and to campaign for the delivery of the North-South Interconnector and other key grid infranstructure projects. Encourage friends, colleagues and family to join the cause to make a big impact.
Click the link below for map of election candidates:
Why Ireland needs to speed up development of onshore wind
16th Oct 2024
Britain’s new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, was only 72 hours into his new job when he lifted the British ban on onshore wind farms. A week later, he announced a new taskforce, bringing together industry and Government, to accelerate onshore wind delivery. By the start ofAugust, it was already at work.
It is frustratingto see that level offocus in Britain while, in Ireland, the development of onshore wind energy meets barrier after barrier. Unlike Britain, we are already a leader in onshore wind energy. Our country’s wind farms provide a greater annual share of our electricity demand than any other in Europe, but the pace of delivery of new projects is slowing down.
Our country’s windfarms provide a greater annual share of our electricity demand than any other in Europe.
A report published by Wind Energy Ireland in July shows that we are only getting around a quarter ofthe projects we need to match our energy targets through An Bord Pleanála. Many ofthe projects recently approved by the Board have already been challenged in the courts.
Fewer projects mean higher energy prices for Irish families and millions more spent to import expensive fossil fuels. We need to build onshore wind farms, offshore, new solar farms and battery projects and reinforce the electricity grid in just a few years. Our planningsystem is simply not fit for purpose to achieve this.
The Government has established a taskforce to accelerate the delivery ofonshore renewable energy, and it must prioritise fixing the planning system.
We have seen other countries do this by applying new EU regulations like the RED III Directive with Germany, for example,now granting planning permission to 1,000
megawatts of onshore wind every month. In Ireland, instead ofthis acceleration, County Councils are zoning land to preventthe development of wind energy, including incidents where the local authority changed the zoning of land to prevent a wind farm from being built after it was announced or had applied for planning.
There is a conflict between national and EU energy policy (to provide the affordable, clean, secure energy Irish people want) and County Development Plans, which, in some places, have been designed to block the development of new wind farms. Resolving this conflict needs to be as much a priority for the Irish Government as speeding up the development ofonshore wind farms is for Minister Ed Miliband.
source: Justin Moran, Director of External Affairs, Wind Energy Ireland
Ecopower’s Pat Brett on Midwest Radio
27th Sep 2024
click here to hear the interview with Ecopower director Pat Brett on Midwest Radio lunchtime news 26/09/24,discussing Vodafone becoming first telco to sign Corporate Power Purchase Agreement
Vodafone first telco to sign Corporate Power Purchase Agreement here
27th Sep 2024
Photo – Brian McHugh (Managing Director at Vantage Towers Ireland), Amanda Nelson (Vodafone Ireland CEO), James Temple (Renewables Manager at Flogas) and Pat Brett, Director at Derrynadivva Wind Farm in Co Mayo
Vodafone Ireland has signed a new Corporate Power Purchasing Agreement (CPPA) with energy supplier Flogas, along with its infrastructure partner Vantage Towers – the first telco in Ireland to sign such an agreement.
The new deal allows Vodafone to directly purchase renewable electricity from the Derrynadivva Wind Farm in Mayo.
Vodafone’s investment of €6m in the initiative is part of the company’s sustainability goals to achieve net zero across its full value chain by 2040.
The energy secured within today’s deal gives Vodafone access to clean, high quality and affordable renewable electricity for its extensive network of cables that deliver mobile and fixed services to customers across the country.
As part of this agreement, the company’s infrastructure partners, Vantage Towers, will also receive renewable energy from the Derrynadivva Wind Farm.
Amanda Nelson, CEO at Vodafone Ireland, said that today’s announcement is an investment in Ireland and its renewable energy industry, adding that it was a significant step towardsthe company’s own ambitious net zero targets.
Brian McHugh, Managing Director at Vantage Towers Ireland, said the company’s infrastructure network is totally powered by renewable energy, in line with its global ESG agenda.
“Sustainability is a necessity, and this agreement with Flogas is a further commitment to minimising the impact of our business on the environment, and a continued investment in Ireland’s natural generating capability,” he added.
James Temple, Renewables Manager at Flogas, said the CPPA with Vodafone Ireland underscores the accelerating commitment of Irish companies to increase their use of carbon-free energy and lead in renewable energy adoption.
“As a leading provider of clean energy CPPAs, Flogas is dedicated to enhancing the economic feasibility of renewable projects and advancing Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy,” he added.
“By delivering clean, renewable wind energy to some of the nation’s largest companies, we are not only helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also supporting these businesses in their commitment to more efficient and responsible energy consumption,” Pat Brett, Director at Derrynadivva Wind Farm, stated.
Source: rte.ie
Wind supplied 35pc of Ireland’s electricity so far this year
02nd Jul 2024
Wind remains an important part of Ireland’s energy grid, though its contributions fluctuate significantly month by month.
Wind energy supplied 35pc of Ireland’s electricity needs in the first five months of this year, while Cork became the leading county in terms of wind production last month.
That’s according to a new report from Wind Energy Ireland, which shows that wind energy remains an important and growing part of Ireland’s electricity grid – though it has some significant fluctuations.
While wind supplied 35pc of Ireland’s electricity so far this year, it only produced 21pc of the country’s electricity last month. This was below the normal average for wind energy in May but the report said this shortfall was “partially compensated” by a record month for solar power. Meanwhile, wind energy supplied a record 43pc of Irish electricity in March.
“Every time a wind turbine or solar panel is generating electricity, it is reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels, helping to push down wholesale electricity prices and increasing our supply of clean energy to power our homes and local communities,” said Justin Moran, director of external affairs at Wind Energy Ireland.
The report shows that Cork produced 73 GWh of wind power in May, representing 11pc of Ireland’s total wind power that month. This also pushed Kerry off the top spot for the first time since Wind Energy Ireland started publishing data at a county level.
Kerry was in second place producing 10pc of Ireland’s wind power in May, followed by Galway, Tipperary and Tyrone. These top five counties produced 42pc of Ireland’s total wind power last month.
“Irish wind farms, and last month particularly those in Cork, are playing an enormous part in reducing Ireland’s carbon emissions by more than 4m tonnes a year and creating significant opportunities in job creation and funding for rural communities,” Moran said.
“Ireland has significant renewable energy sources and by growing our renewable energy sector, we can build an Ireland that is energy independent, delivering warmer homes and cleaner air.”
source: Silicon Republic
Summer Birdwatching Spots in Ireland
25th Jun 2024
Check out these Summer Birdwatching Spots chosen by MKO ornithologists – from resident favourites to exciting migrants, there’s something for everyone. So grab your binoculars and get ready for an adventure!
County
Location
This location is good for spotting…
Antrim
Rathlin Island
Corncrake, Puffin, Kittiwake, Gannet, Razorbill and Guillemot
Clare
Mounthshannon Harbour
White-Tailed Eagle (Holy Island)
Cork
Harpers Island Wetlands
Nesting Sand Martin Wall
Cork
Glengarriff and Garinish Island
White-tailed Eagle
Donegal
Tory Island
Corncrake, Puffin and Breeding Waders
Donegal
Inch Wetland Reserve
Colony of Sandwich Tern and Black-headed Gulls
Donegal
Blanket Nook
Swallows, House Martins, common terns and swifts, Great Spotted Woodpecker or Kingfisher, and Yellowhammer
Dublin
Ireland’s Eye
Cormorant, Herring Gull, Kittiwake, Gannet, Guillemot, and Razorbill
Dublin
Rogerstown Estuary and Turvey Nature Reserve
Various
Dublin
Dalkey Island
Arctic Tern, Breeding Gulls and Oystercatchers
Galway
Lough Derg (Portumna)
White-Tailed Eagle
Galway
Inisbofin
Corncrake
Kerry
View from Castlegregory to Maherees Islands
Common, Arctic, Little and Sandwich Terns
Kildare
Pollardstown Fen
Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Water Rail, Snipe, Little Grebe, Kestrel, and Buzzard
Louth
Lurgangreen (Dundalk Bay)
Common Sandpiper, Terns, Wheatear, Gulls, and Osprey (regularly occurring, but not breeding)
Mayo
Annagh Marsh, Belmullet
Red-necked Phalarope and Lapwing
Offaly
Lough Boora
Grey Partridge, Breeding Waders e.g. Lapwing
Waterford
Ardmore Cliff Walk
Kittiwake Colony, Chough, Kestrel and occasionally Peregrine
Wexford
Great Saltee
Gannet, Puffin and Manx Shearwater, Razorbill, Guillemot, Kittiwake, Shag, Great Black-backed Gull and Fulmar
Wexford
Our Lady’s Island Lake
Roseate Tern, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Tern and Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gull
Wicklow
Kilcoole
Little Tern Colony
Wicklow
Avoca
Red Kite
Wicklow
East Coast Nature Reserve
Roseate Tern, Sandwich Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Tern Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gull
Wicklow
Wicklow Mountains
Peregrine, Merlin, Red Grouse, Great Spotted Woodpecker
