Renewables Provided a Third of Electricity in June: EirGrid

Electricity from renewable sources provided for a third of total demand in June, according to provisional data from grid operator EirGrid.

The amount of electricity generated from grid-scale solar reached a new high of 110 GWh (gigawatt hours) across the month, meeting 4.4% of electricity demand, with wind energy also performing strongly.

Just over a quarter of all electricity used in June came from windfarms, with total generation of 635 GWh for the month marking the third-highest ever figure recorded in June.

The remainder of the 33.5% of electricity produced from renewables came from a range of sources including hydropower and biomass.

Overall electricity system demand stood at 2,482 GWh for June.

Gas generation accounted for 42% of all electricity used in June, with 20% being imported via interconnection, 3% coming from coal, and the remaining 1% from other sources.

EirGrid is responsible for leading Ireland’s transition to a low carbon future so that 80% of electricity can come from renewables by 2030, as set out in Government targets.

Earlier this year, EirGrid confirmed it had reduced the minimum number of large conventional fossil-fuelled generators that must operate on Ireland’s electricity grid at any one time from five to four.

This will allow for a reduction in carbon emissions and create more opportunity for renewable generators to meet power requirements.

Currently, 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.

Charlie McGee, System Operational Manager at EirGrid, said: “Solar generation is naturally always strongest during the summer, but this June saw a particularly high output, with solar playing an increasingly important part in our efforts to get more renewable electricity onto the system.

“June was also another strong month for wind energy, and this is now the third time that wind generation has passed the 600 GWh mark in the month of June, even as wind speeds drop during the summer months. This is because more generation capacity is coming onto the system.”