Note: This article was updated July 17 2024 to incorporate adjusted solar SCADA data from Eirgrid.
Summary
Electricity from renewable generation and discharging storage met 41.1% of Ireland’s (all-island) electricity demand during April 2024:
- 32.5% wind
- 2.6% hydro
- 3% biomass/waste
- 2.2% solar
- 0.8% discharging pumped storage
- <0.1% discharging batteries
Exhibit 1: All-island demand met by different sources, April 2024
Carbon Emissions
In an effort to track Ireland's progress in reducing carbon emissions, Green Collective is now estimating grid carbon intensity. During April, we estimate that for each KWh of electricity generated the Irish grid emitted between between 87g and 409g of CO2, for an average of 237gCO2/kWh. This was slightly above this year's average-to-date of 222gCO2/kWh and significantly below April 2023's average of 273gCO2/kWh.
Exhibit 2: All-island grid-carbon intensity, April 2024
Solar record
For the first time, solar output on the Irish grid exceeded 500MW. This occurred on both days of the fine weekend of April 20th and 21st. Bouyed somewhat by relatively low weekend demand, this was enough at its peak to supply 14.2% of all-island demand.
Exhibit 3: Solar generation by farm, April 20-21 2024
Meath is currently the clear leader in Irish solar generation: over the course of this record-breaking weekend it was host to approximately 60% solar generation. At at its peak that Sunday afternoon, Meath solar farms were supplying over 7% of all-island electricity demand.
Exhibit 4 + 5: Solar generation by county, April 20-21 2024
Second-best April for wind
With 1077GWh - enough to fuilfill 32.5% of demand - it was the second-best April yet for wind power. April 2023 was slightly ahead, with 1112GWh, or 34.6% of demand.
Exhibit 6: All-island wind generation, 2015-2024
At a county level, Cork and Kerry remain the two top wind producing counties while Mayo's output fell significantly: it came in tenth place this month due to Oweninny - Ireland's largest single wind farm - remaining offline since April 8.
Exhibit 7: Wind generation by county, April 2024
