Wind energy has saved Ireland about €70m in foreign energy imports in the first half of 2016, according to provisional data compiled by the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA).
IWEA said domestic renewable energy sources met 22% of the country’s entire electricity demand in the period.
It added that the peak period for wind energy production was on 28 January, when output hit 2132MW or almost 60% of Ireland’s electricity demand at that time.
Wind energy capacity in Ireland has also reached an all-time record peak of 2.5GW, the association said.
IWEA head of communications Brian Dawson said: “While it’s exciting to see wind energy delivering such high levels of electricity generation, it’s critically important that we continue to focus on developing these clean and indigenous energy sources and focus on reducing our dangerously unsustainable 85% reliance on expensive fossil fuel imports.”
Image: reNEWS
