Ireland

Wood MacKenzie predicts that Ireland will meet its 8 GW 2030 solar target but wind, heat pumps, and electric vehicles (EVs) are all lagging behind theirs. Ireland’s current installed solar capacity is just under 2 GW, but this could be increased thanks to favorable policy, grid investments, and energy storage.

Ireland’s €3.5 billion ($4.1 billion) package is the largest single investment in the national electricity grid in the state’s history. It will be allocated as equity to the transmission systems operator EirGrid and the distribution systems operator ESB Networks.

Large energy users like data centers and manufacturers could gain expedited access to at least 500 MW of solar deemed ‘ready to proceed’ under the new, ‘more enabling’ private wires framework, said Solar Ireland CEO Ronan Power. The updated policy targets national grid congestion, particularly acute near the capital where data centers are concentrated.

A new online resource will help Irish farmers make “confident, informed decisions” by providing insights on payback scenarios, grants and tariffs, said John Upton, lead author of “A Solar Energy Guide for Dairy Farms.”

Ireland’s total installed solar capacity reached 1.76 GW as of May 31, 2025, according to Solar Ireland’s new “Scale of Solar 2025” report. Based on data from distribution system operator ESB Networks, the report shows Ireland has advanced from a poor PV performer to a mid-tier solar market in Europe within a few years.

Moneypoint in County Clare, Ireland, joins the ranks of other European nations exiting coal by shutting off power generation at its sole remaining coal plant. Industry observers say Ireland’s increased renewable energy generation in recent years, particularly in wind, has contributed to this milestone. Moneypoint now functions as a backup oil burner under emergency instruction, but it is no longer active in the wholesale electricity market.

Grid-scale solar accounted for 6.5% of electricity generated in May, with Ireland’s transmission system operator (TSO) EirGrid recording 173,163 MWh of solar output. Meanwhile, regulators are working to streamline the grid connection application process, a move welcomed by the solar industry.

Ireland will launch its fifth renewables auction on May 29, with grid operator EirGrid set to finalize the procurement process by Oct. 10.

Rooftop and small-scale ground mounted solar systems in Ireland have set a new monthly record for electricity production, generating a total of 66 GWh of electricity in April. So far, in 2025 just over 137 GWh of electricity has come from distributed solar systems.

Government-run Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) is tendering for the provision of technical and advisory support services for its grant programs aimed at organizations in Ireland planning to decarbonize. The tender follows a report by the SEAI that showed Ireland has a limited market for industrial heat pumps and called for greater outreach and support for businesses to install the technology.