Irish wind farms generate record levels of electricity for September

Wind energy provided 37% of the country’s electricity demand last month, according to data from Wind Energy Ireland. Picture Larry Cummins

Wind energy provided 37% of the country’s electricity demand last month, according to data from Wind Energy Ireland.

Grid-scale solar accounted for approximately 5% of electricity generated in September, according to Eirgrid, while gas generation accounted for 37% of all electricity used and 19% was imported via interconnection.   The overall electricity system demand stood at 2857 GWh for September, up from 2796 GWh in August.

Wind Energy Ireland’s monthly report showed Irish wind farms generated record levels of electricity for September. Wind farms generated 1,256 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity during the month, surpassing the previous September record of 1,128 GWh set last year and represented an increase of 11%.

Average wholesale electricity price in September rose to €182.13 per megawatt-hour (MWh) on the back of steadily rising gas prices. But on days with most wind power, wholesale electricity prices were more than a third lower, with the the average price falling to €142.78 per megawatt hour. On days where Ireland was most dependent on imported gas, prices reached €226.51 per megawatt hour, almost 25% above the monthly average.

The report also shows that over one third of Ireland’s electricity during the first nine months of 2026 came from wind farms.

“Last month was the best September on record for wind energy with Irish wind farms supplying more than a third of our electricity. Wind and solar together met over 42% of demand, helping to power homes and businesses with clean, home-grown energy," said Wind Energy Ireland chief executive Noel Cunniffe. 

“Wholesale electricity prices were almost €84 lower on the days with the most wind energy compared with prices on the days when we had to rely on imported gas. This demonstrates the value of wind energy in reducing our exposure to imported fossil fuels and volatile international energy prices.

Kerry (131 GWh) led Ireland’s wind energy leaderboard in September, followed by Cork (102 GWh), Offaly (98 GWh), Mayo (89GWh), and Galway (88 GWh). “Quicker grid connections, faster planning decisions and investment in energy storage will help us deliver more Irish renewable electricity and make better use of the energy we produce," said Mr Cunniffe.