Irish consumers avoided paying €2bn for gas last year because the country’s wind farms provided 34% of our electricity, up four points on 2021. The figures came from an analysis published by energy specialists Baringa entitled 'Cutting Carbon, Cutting Bills: Analysis of gas savings delivered by wind farms in 2022'.

The Baringa analysis found that without wind energy Ireland would have had to spend an additional €1.65bn on gas for power generation in 2022 and an extra €340m on carbon credits to produce electricity by burning that gas.

Total avoided cost of €43m in a mere 24 hours

The savings were particularly significant on days with extremely high gas prices and large volumes of wind energy on the electricity system. On a single day – Tuesday, March 8 – the combination of high winds and soaring gas prices delivered a total avoided cost of €43m in a mere 24 hours.

Since Ireland imports around 70-75% of our annual gas demand the likelihood is that the vast majority of the €2bn which would, without wind energy, have been spent on gas would have been imported from Britain.

The report also looked at the role of wind energy in Northern Ireland and identified additional total savings there of £500m.

Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, said: “Our members can be extremely proud of the role Irish wind farms are playing in the middle of an energy crisis driven by our dependence on imported fossil fuels.

“Every day Irish wind farms are protecting consumers while also cutting the carbon emissions that are driving the climate emergency.

“The best way out of this energy crisis is to accelerate the development of renewable energy, to ensure more of our power is provided here, at home, creating Irish jobs and supporting local communities.

“The government’s plan to reform the planning system by putting in place mandatory timelines for decisions needs to be fully supported and we need total political backing, right across the oireachtas, for EirGrid’s strategy to reinforce the country’s electricity grid.

“We cannot build the wind farms we need without a planning system that is fit for purpose and we cannot get the power to where it is needed without a much stronger electricity grid. Both of these issues must be top priorities for all political parties in 2023.”

Wind’s second best year ever

Wind Energy Ireland also confirmed that the island’s wind farms provided 34% of the country’s electricity in 2022, a total of 13,213 gigawatt-hours (GWh), which is equivalent to the electricity consumption of nearly three million Irish families.

Wind energy generation rose from 11,566 GWh in 2021 and was only slightly behind the record set in 2020 of 13,696GWh.

“The faster we can build and connect renewable energy onto the electricity system the more secure we make Ireland’s energy supply, the more money we put back in your pocket and the more we cut our carbon emissions.

“If the government will help us to build more wind farms, and faster, we can deliver the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan. We can build an Ireland that is energy independent, delivering warmer homes, cleaner air and tens of thousands of new jobs, a leader in tackling the climate emergency and in supporting local communities.”