Irish wind fears grow as EU told to do more on emissions

There is concern over Ireland's lost wind energy levels.

The EU is currently falling short on its 2030 emissions reduction targets, a leading energy consultant has said.

Wood Mackenzie said the EU is on track to deliver emissions cuts of 46% on 1990 levels by the end of the decade. 

But, that is short of its 55% target.

The company said the EU needs to accelerate the pace of its energy transition. It said increased wind and solar capacity is needed; along with the phasing out of more coal-fired plants. Electric transport should make up almost all passenger vehicle sales by 2030, it said.

“To hit the 2030 target, Europe will have to do everything we have assumed, but quicker,” said Murray Douglas, a research director at Wood Mackenzie.

The update comes against the backdrop of government advisory body the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) launching an all-island consultation on climate challenges and opportunities in Ireland, and concern over rising levels of lost wind energy in Ireland.

Wind Energy Ireland – under its previous name of the Irish Wind Energy Association – warned in December that the Government has a window of just two years to put the necessary foundations in place for the country to meet its renewable energy targets.

Ireland is targeting 70% of the country’s energy being generated from renewable sources by 2030 and having five gigawatts of offshore wind energy at hand.

A new report by Wind Energy Ireland shows wind provided more than 36% of Ireland’s electricity output last year – a record level, which included it outperforming gas in two quarters.

The report also shows Ireland has the highest share of onshore wind-generated electricity in the world.

However, it also said lost wind energy rose to nearly 11.5% of total production, or enough energy to power 300,000 homes. Wind energy is lost when EirGrid instructs a wind farm to produce less electricity due to the national grid not being strong enough to cope with the volumes being produced.

“These record levels of lost wind power must be replaced by fossil fuels,” said Wind Energy Ireland CEO David Connolly.

“So, every time wind farms are turned off, our carbon emissions go up. As we develop more wind farms, particularly the large offshore projects that are in planning, we are going to need a much stronger transmission system,” he said.

"As a matter of urgency we need to support EirGrid’s efforts to expand and strengthen our electricity grid. And this support needs to extend right across the political system and wider society if we are to have any hope of decarbonising our electricity supply," Mr Connolly said.

Ireland has more than 600 megawatts of new wind farms going into construction.

“The number of projects which got planning permission and the growing number applying today shows the strength of our pipeline,” Mr Connolly said.

Additional reporting Bloomberg