Wind energy can be 1bn industry

The wind energy sector could supply over a million Irish homes with electricity and has the potential to be a 1 billion annual industry in the next seven years.

That is the view of Paul Kellett of Sustainable Energy Ireland’s (SEI’s) Renewable Energy Information Office, speaking on the eve of its annual wind energy conference and study tour “Energy from Fresh Air”.

The conference, which runs in the Sligo Park Hotel until November 14, will provide an international exchange of experience and information on policy and technical developments in relation to wind energy.

At present, there are 29 operational wind farms in Ireland, with an installed capacity of 170 MW supplying over 110,000 homes and businesses with clean electricity. However, Ireland has the potential to increase that figure to over 1,600 MW , supplying over one million homes with clean electricity. This in turn could create an industry worth 1 billion annually sustaining almost 1,000 jobs and saving 4.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).