Electricity from renewable sources provided for close to half of Ireland’s total demand in December, according to provisional data from grid operator EirGrid.
Overall, renewables provided 46.7% of electricity in December, from sources that included solar, wind and hydropower.
The majority of renewable electricity generated last month came from wind farms, which accounted for over 40% of all electricity used in Ireland.
Total generation from wind energy amounted to 1287 gigawatt hours over the month.
Gas generation accounted for 38% of all electricity used in December, with 12% being imported via interconnection, 2% came from coal and the remaining 1% came from other sources.
Cumulative data for 2024 is subject to finalisation and reporting by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
The SEAI will include some non-centrally monitored generation (small scale combined heat and power and microgeneration) which will impact the annual cumulative figures.
EirGrid is responsible for leading Ireland’s transition to a low carbon future so that 80% of electricity can come from renewables, as set out in Government targets.
Today the electricity grid can accommodate up to 75% of electricity from renewable sources at any one time.
This is known as the system non-synchronous penetration (SNSP) limit.
EirGrid is aiming to further increase the SNSP limit.
Diarmaid Gillespie, director of system operations at EirGrid, said: “Wind energy contributed strongly to electricity generation last month, marking one of the highest December figures for wind energy generation on record according to provisional data.”