Energy independence: A prize worth fighting for

Justin Moran, director of external affairs for Wind Energy Ireland, outlines how Irish wind farms have evolved to provide more than a third of the country’s electricity

At the 49MW Drumlins Park wind farm, Energia Group’s 16th wind farm, the first of several projects to reach commercial operation under a strategic agreement with Microsoft — Sean Finnegan, energy manager, Microsoft Ireland; Peter Baillie, MD, Energia Renewables; Victoria Keogh, head of comms, Microsoft Ireland; Ian Thom, CEO Energia Group; Garrett Donnellan, chief development officer, Energia Group.

Extensive mapping has found that Ireland can generate at least a further 6,000 MW of wind energy, in addition to what is already built or in the planning system.

Onshore wind energy is already our most affordable source of new electricity. It is clean, it is secure, it creates jobs at home and it supports communities in rural Ireland.