The island of Ireland has surpassed the rest of the EU countries for its wind energy integration. That’s according to EirGrid chief executive Dermot Byrne, who says Ireland is in a position to become a global leader for wind energy take-up. However, it will require open communication from industry stakeholders, he warned.
Speaking this morning, Byrne said current estimates predict how the island of Ireland will reach a level of installed wind generation in 2020 that will be enough to meet around 37pc of electricity demand.
“This is greater than any other synchronous region in Europe over this timeframe,” he said.
While the majority of the 40pc renewable electricity target will be met from wind generation, he said Ireland’s – and EirGrid’s – work will not stop with wind.
“There is ongoing work to develop a better understanding of the potential for integrating other renewable sources, such as ocean energy technology, biomass and waste-to-energy plants,” said Byrne.