Ireland has reached 8GW of installed renewable electricity generation capacity, marking a milestone in the country’s energy transition.
Climate, energy and environment minister Darragh O’Brien (pictured) said the figure confirmed Ireland’s progress in expanding homegrown renewable electricity.
Provisional data from EirGrid showed that almost 50% of electricity in Ireland came from renewable sources in February, with wind energy setting a new generation peak.
The government said policy support, grid upgrades and new project development will continue to drive renewable deployment, investment and jobs.
“I welcome the data from ESB Networks confirming that Ireland has reached 8GW of renewable electricity – a landmark achievement for Ireland and a clear sign of our commitment to building a cleaner, more secure energy future,” said Darragh O’Brien, minister for climate, energy and the environment.
“At this time of global energy uncertainty and rising prices, expanding our homegrown renewable capacity is not only good for the climate – it is essential for delivering long-term energy security and price stability for Irish households and businesses.”
ESB Networks said 189MW of wind and solar capacity was connected to the grid in the first two months of 2026.
“Surpassing 8 GW of renewable electricity generation connected to the electricity network is a major milestone,” said Nicholas Tarrant, managing director of ESB Networks.
“It reflects our commitment to deliver electrical infrastructure at pace and enable the transition to a cleaner, greener future.”
EirGrid said wind energy remained Ireland’s largest source of electricity generation in February, supplying 41% of power compared with 37% from gas.