Ireland reached new milestones in solar energy generation in March, with renewable sources accounting for 39% of the country's electricity, according to provisional figures from EirGrid.
On March 25, Ireland achieved a new peak for grid-scale solar power, with over 750MW of electricity generated from solar, surpassing the previous record set in July 2024 by 18MW. Wind energy continued to be the leading source of renewable power, contributing 32.6% of the country's electricity for the month, following a new peak wind power record set in February.
In total, solar energy accounted for the third-highest monthly amount of solar-generated electricity in Ireland's history. The month also saw significant achievements in battery storage, with a record high discharge of just under 300MW from grid-scale batteries on March 14, surpassing the maximum output from the Turlough Hill hydropower facility.
“March was a landmark month for solar power on the electricity grid,” said Charlie McGee, System Operational Manager at EirGrid. “While just under 3% of total electricity generation came from solar for the month, during particularly sunny periods this peaked at over 18%, which augurs well for further records this summer.”
Gas remained the largest single source of electricity generation, meeting 39% of demand, while 18% of electricity was imported via interconnection. Wind power met a third of the electricity demand in March.
EirGrid noted that while renewable generation reached up to 75% of electricity demand during certain periods, there were also times when renewable sources contributed as little as 5%. To support future renewable integration, EirGrid is rolling out a comprehensive program of grid reinforcements, upgrades, and new infrastructure aimed at meeting the government's target of 80% renewable electricity.
McGee added, “This is made possible by the connection of greater amounts of grid-scale solar as we work towards achieving a cleaner energy future for Ireland's power system. It was also encouraging to see a new peak set for power discharged from batteries on the grid. February's wind power record followed by a new solar peak in March shows the need for battery storage so we can hold greater amounts of renewable electricity in reserve for use during periods of high demand.
