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As of 2021[update] the island of Ireland has 5,585 megawatt and the Republic of Ireland has 4,309 MW of installed wind power nameplate capacity, the third highest per capita in the world.[1] In 2020, wind turbines generated 36.3% of Ireland's electrical demand, one of the highest wind power penetrations in the world.[2][3]
Ireland has over 300 wind farms (nearly 400 all-island);[1][4] mostly onshore, with only the 25 MW Arklow Bank Wind Park situated offshore as of 2020. This is unlike Germany and Great Britain two other European countries with high wind power penetration whose territorial waters (particularly the German Bight and waters off the coast of Scotland) are in extensive and growing use for offshore wind power.
Ireland's instantaneous wind power generation fluctuates between near zero and almost 4,500 MW[1] due to weather,[5] with an average capacity factor of 32.3% in 2015.[6] Irish wind power generation is higher during winter and lower in the summer.[7] The overall capacity factor of Irish wind farms is high compared to the global average of onshore wind farms which usually ranges around 20% but significantly lower than that of offshore wind farms which often achieve capacity factors around 50%.
Ireland uses an EU industry subsidy known as the Public Service Obligation to support development of wind and other domestic power generation,[8] currently levied at €72 per year per household.[9] In the 2016/17 period, €308 million raised through this levy was planned to be granted to supporting domestic renewable energy schemes. For comparison €120.90 million was planned to be granted to (non renewable) peat generation.[10]
Concerns over energy security (Ireland lacks significant onshore fossil fuel resources other than peat, and has extensive wind resources), climate change mitigation policies, and compliance with EU Directives for market liberalisation, have all shaped wind power development in Ireland
- ^ a b c "Wind Statistics". iwea.com. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
- ^ "Wind Energy Powers Ireland to Renewable Energy Target". 28 January 2021.
- ^ Eoin Burke-Kennedy (27 December 2015). "Over 23% of electricity demand now supplied through wind". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- ^ "Ireland's Clean Energy Hits Record Output". Irish Wind Energy Association. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ "Wind Record Broken". EirGrid. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- ^ "Fuel Mix Disclosure and CO2 Emissions 2015" (PDF). Commission for Energy Regulation. 26 August 2016. p. 10. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- ^ "All-island Wind and Fuel Mix summary, 2014" (PDF). Eirgrid. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2015.
- ^ "Public Service Obligation Levy 2015/2016" (PDF). Commission for Energy Regulation.
- ^ "Electricity bills to rise as regulator increases PSO charge". The Irish Times. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
- ^ "Public Service Obligation Levy 2016/17 — Proposed Decision Paper" (PDF). Commission for Energy Regulation. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2016.