It seems only appropriate that our best attended conference follows our industry’s best year for producing electricity.

In 2023 our members saved the equivalent annual emissions of 1.9 million cars and took a billion euro out of the pockets of the fossil fuel industry. And we’re not done yet.

Over two days nearly 750 policymakers and industry leaders discussed how we can accelerate the development of renewable energy.

We debated policy roadblocks and explored possible solutions, we had thought-provoking conversations and we forged valuable new relationships that will help to propel our industry forward.

In the face of a global climate crisis, the urgency of our mission has never been more apparent. Wind energy is Ireland’s climate leader, offering a pathway to a greener, energy-independent, Ireland, and one that it was clear has full political support.

Annual Conference 2024 opened with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald TD telling delegates “the Irish wind energy industry has demonstrated time and again that it is at the forefront of Ireland’s energy revolution, of driving ambitious, positive change” and committing to work in partnership with us in the years to come.

The next day Minister for Finance Michael McGrath TD welcomed the progress we have made towards our ambitious targets in the Climate Action Plan and reaffirmed the commitment of this Government to do more, to reform the planning system, to develop our electricity grid and to invest in critical State agencies.

The need for more, for more speed, for more urgency was highlighted by Statkraft’s Kevin O’Donovan who told a packed conference hall that the planning system needed to be approving 1 GW of projects every year to reach our targets. He highlighted that companies like Statkraft have thriving renewable energy pipelines which are ready to respond if the right policies are put in place.

And the benefits of that renewable energy go beyond decarbonisation as SSE Renewables’ Maria Ryan described the thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of euro in investment that could transform coastal communities from offshore wind projects. Building on the success of our onshore industry we need, she told the audience, “the main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing, and the main thing is delivery”.

We are delighted to share with you the daily coverage from the conference by our media partners reNews

Day 1 Coverage – click here

Day 2 Coverage – click here

Wind farms provided 35% of Ireland’s electricity in 2023 and set a new record for the amount of power they produced, according to a new report.

The 13,725 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of wind power generated was equivalent to the electricity consumption of more than 3 million households.

Wind Energy Ireland’s annual report shows that this resulted in the island of Ireland spending €1.3 billion less on gas and associated carbon credits.

This was down on the €2 billion saved in 2022 due to significantly lower wholesale gas prices over the past year.

Analysis carried out by consultants Baringa found that without wind energy, Ireland would have had to spend an additional €918 million on gas, the majority of which would have been imported, to meet electricity demand.

Wind farms

The report estimates that Irish wind farms saved approximately 4.2 million tonnes of carbon last year, which is roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon produced by 1.9 million cars.

Noel Cunniffe, chief executive of Wind Energy Ireland, said that this is “a true success story”, adding that the country is “on the way to an energy independent future”.

“The more wind we can get on the electricity grid, the less we rely on imported gas and the more we can cut our carbon emissions,” he said.

However, Cunniffe warned that progress in wind energy generation will be stifled “without a planning system that is fit for purpose” and “a much stronger electricity grid” being developed by EirGrid and ESB Networks.

“Progress to date on the Planning and Development Bill has been welcomed by industry and the government’s plan to put in place mandatory timelines for planning decisions as part of the new legislation needs to be fully supported.

“Both planning reform and grid reinforcement must remain top priorities right across the political system in 2024,” he said.

Wind energy provided half of the country’s electricity in December, making it the best month for wind power generation in 2023.

The report also notes that the average wholesale price of electricity last month was €88.97 per megawatt-hour (MWh), down 68% from €276.52/ MWh in December 2022

Cunniffe said that the continued annual fall in wholesale electricity prices is welcome news.

“We are gradually starting to see these price reductions being passed onto consumers in their energy bills and we hope to see this continue in 2024,” he said.

Wind farms provided 35% of Ireland’s electricity in 2023

Wind’s best year on record

Wind Energy Ireland confirmed that wind farms provided 35 per cent of Ireland and Northen Ireland’s electricity in 2023, totalling a record breaking 13,725 gigawatt-hours (GWh).

This figure represents the largest annual amount of wind power generated by our wind farms to date and it is equivalent to the electricity consumption of more than 3 million Irish families, surpassing the previous record of 13,699 GWh set in 2020.

It follows a particularly strong performance last month with wind energy providing exactly half the country’s electricity, making it the best month for wind power generation in 2023.

Recently one of our employees took part in the 100 Million Trees Project, which is a national initiative aiming to plant 100 million native Irish trees across the island of Ireland throughout the next decade. 2500 trees were planted on a 1 acre site in Kilkenny. This area will sequester 30 tonnes of carbon per annum. An average household in Ireland emits 12 tonnes of carbon per annum. This area will also provide some much needed habitat for biodiversity.

If you would like to get involved all you need to do provide a map with the area you want planted outlined and prepare the site for planting. The trees and tree planting service is free. See all details on the website https://100milliontreesproject.ie/

You will find contact info for the project team on the website. Also you can watch one of their youtube videos here

Build our Grid is a new campaign that mobilises support for necessary upgrades to Ireland’s electricity grid.

Build our Grid highlights the critical role of the electricity grid in securing Ireland’s renewable energy future and encourages public support for necessary upgrade works to ensure Ireland can run on 100% renewable energy.

You can help by signing the pledge, posting on social media, and sharing our videos.

SIGN THE PLEDGE: 
Visit BuildourGrid.ie and sign your name to support the campaign

Ecopower is proud to sponsor Mullinvat Camogie. At Nowlan Park on 13th May the U12 team (pictured) played at half time during the Camogie Leinster Finals.

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. It is a day for discovering wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonise our economies and boost jobs and growth.

The newly launched public information campagin called “Reduce Your Use” will supplement the Government’s cost-of-living package and inform consumers about ways in which they can save energy.

reduce your use on www.gov.ie

bonkers.ie article on reduce your use

Wind Energy Ireland have launched a new video, Creating Jobs, Supporting Communities, which profiles four Irish companies working today in supporting the development of Irish on and offshore wind farms. The video, and the KPMG research, highlights that wind energy isn’t just about cutting our carbon emissions – as critical as that might be – but as Declan Corrigan at WTE sums up at the end, “Wind energy in Ireland is about much more than a wind turbine spinning at the side of the M7. It means salaries. It means investment. It means growing local businesses and it means more funding for local communities”.