One Third of Irelands Power Came From Solar on Monday

Solar Ireland is warning that too much clean, renewable energy is being wasted because grid and system development are not keeping pace with record levels of generation, limiting the full benefits solar can deliver for consumers, energy security and affordability. The industry group is speaking out as the current sunny spell delivers exceptional generation across Ireland’s solar farms.

Solar delivers over 1/3rd of Irish daily power

At 1.30pm yesterday, one third of electricity demand across Ireland was delivered through clean, renewable energy generated at solar farms nationwide, according to Green Collective data. It follows record figures from Sunday afternoon, when these farms were providing almost the same amount of power as imported gas*.

CEO of Ronan Power said: “This is a fantastic week for solar in Ireland and shows just how quickly the sector is growing and contributing to our energy system. Ireland’s first utility-scale solar farm was only connected to the grid in 2022, and already we are seeing solar provide a significant share of electricity demand.

This also highlights an increasingly important challenge. As generation levels continue to rise, parts of the system are struggling to absorb all the clean, renewable energy available, leading to increasing dispatch down and curtailment. Put simply, we sometimes have to turn off renewable generation because the system is not always capable of handling all the clean energy being produced. Grid remains a critical part of the solution, but this is now broader than grid alone. We need to look at the challenge with fresh eyes and focus on system optimisation, using the technology already available and the strong public support behind the energy transition.”

Power said Ireland now needs to move quickly from planning to implementation: “The investment commitment is there and we welcome that. The priority now is accelerating delivery and ensuring grid infrastructure, system services and operational measures keep pace with renewable deployment. Every unit of renewable electricity we can use helps reduce reliance on imported fuels, improves energy independence and supports consumers at a time when energy costs remain a concern.

Solar is increasingly helping reduce Ireland’s dependence on imported fossil fuels and creating a more resilient electricity system. Maximising that opportunity is not only a climate priority, it is an affordability priority too.”

Solar Ireland is calling for accelerated delivery across grid infrastructure, flexibility measures and operational actions to ensure Ireland can fully capture periods of strong renewable generation and maximise the benefits for consumers, businesses and the wider economy.

NOTE:

*At 2.30pm on Sunday, utility-scale solar contributed a record 37.06% of the fuel demand across the country, just 2% away from the level of imported gas being used in the 24-hour period leading up to Sunday afternoon. According to EirGrid, the total amount of renewable generation from wind and solar exceeded 46%.

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