Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
109. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the amount of Ireland’s energy that is now being generated by renewable sources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73268/25]
View answerThe SEAI yesterday published their Energy in Ireland 2025 Report which sets out, in detail, a breakdown of Ireland’s energy usage in 2024. Of particular note, 2024 saw Ireland record our highest renewable energy share on record, with 16.1% of our overall energy consumption being met by renewable sources.
Figures from 2024 show the importance of continuing to develop our onshore and offshore renewable electricity capabilities. 2024 saw renewable electricity meet 41.3% of our electricity demand, up from 40.4% in 2023.
Ireland currently has over 7.7 gigawatts of renewable generation capacity. Onshore wind is the largest contributor to this, with 5 gigawatts of wind generation capacity, and over 2 gigawatts of solar PV installed. Hydro, biomass, and other small sources also contribute.
The Programme for Government 2025 reaffirmed Ireland’s targets of 80% of electricity demand to be met by renewable energy sources in the near term.
Two cross-Government taskforces, the Accelerating Renewable Electricity Taskforce for onshore renewables and the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce, continue to coordinate effective policies designed to deliver an accelerated and increased level of renewable generation capacity and related infrastructure, including strengthening the electricity grid and increasing electricity storage.
The inclusion of Regional Renewable Electricity Capacity Allocations in the revised National Planning Framework, earlier this year, will facilitate the accelerated roll-out and delivery of onshore wind and solar development. Alignment of regional strategies and local plans is now critical to maintaining progress in delivering a secure, affordable and renewable electricity supply to homes and businesses across the country.
