RECENTLY released figures show wind farms supplied more than one-third of Ireland’s electricity in September and October.
This coincided with major offshore wind investment across the Irish Sea, where a £100m deal is set to create hundreds of jobs at Belfast Harbour with two new wind farm projects.
According to Wind Energy Ireland (WEI), wind turbines generated around 1,229 gigawatt-hours of electricity last month, contributing to a combined 41% share of Ireland’s power when other renewables were included.
Kerry remained the leading county for production, followed by Cork, Galway and Derry.
The surge in wind output helped to ease pressure on consumers by reducing wholesale electricity prices.
WEI reported that average prices dropped to €100 per megawatt-hour, which is down from €123 in October 2023.
On the windiest days, prices tumbled to €55 per MWh, less than half the cost recorded on days when the grid relied heavily on fossil fuels.
WEI chief executive Noel Cunniffe said, “Whenever a wind turbine generates electricity, it pushes down wholesale electricity prices, helping to protect consumers.”
But he warned that progress toward Ireland’s 2030 climate targets could be constrained by slow planning approvals.
Only one new wind farm was granted permission between July and September, with a 46 MW project representing just 7% of the capacity WEI says was needed for that period.
The planning backlog for onshore wind proposals has now risen above 2,000 MW.
While Ireland grapples with planning bottlenecks, Belfast Harbour is preparing for a major expansion of offshore wind activity.
A new agreement between the developers of the Mona and Morgan offshore wind farms and the harbour authority will see the port’s D1 terminal used for assembling and preparing turbine components.
The projects are expected to create around 300 jobs beginning in 2028.
The two wind farms could deliver up to 3 GW of electricity once operational, enough to power about three million homes.
Belfast Harbour chief executive Joe O’Neill described the agreement as a transformative moment for the region, positioning the port as a key staging point for large-scale renewable projects.
The harbour is currently the only facility on the island of Ireland capable of supporting offshore wind assembly.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised the investment as an example of how clean-energy infrastructure can both stimulate local economies and advance national climate commitments ahead of the upcoming Cop30 summit.
Their investment will also help finance a new £90m dual-purpose cruise and offshore wind terminal, designed to handle next-generation turbines with components weighing more than 1,000 tonnes.
See More: Belfast Harbour, Renewable Energy, WEI, Wind Energy
