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Record wind generation supplied 38 per cent of Ireland’s electricity last month helping lower wholesale prices
A record April for Irish wind farms helped to limit the average wholesale electricity price rise to just two per cent last month, despite significant pressure from rising gas prices.
The average wholesale price in April was €131.19 per megawatt-hour of electricity compared to €128.77 in March. Prices fell to an average of €101.48 on the days with the most wind energy while rising to €192.09 when we were forced to rely on expensive imported fossil fuels.
Irish wind farms supplied 38 per cent of the country’s electricity in April, generating 1,298 GWh of power and remaining Ireland’s number one source of electricity for the third consecutive month.
Following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran at the end of February, European gas prices rose sharply and while there has been some levelling off prices are still much higher than at the start of the year.
Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, said: “For the first time ever, wind farms have remained Ireland’s top source of electricity for three months in a row and on the windiest days they helped cut wholesale electricity prices by 47 per cent compared to the days when we had to rely on imported fossil fuels.
“This shows how renewable energy can help bring stability to our electricity prices, reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and strengthen Ireland’s energy security which is particularly critical when global crises drive energy prices higher.
“The more wind farms we can build, the more certainty we will have over our electricity prices and the more secure our supply of electricity. We can transform Ireland into an electrostate powered by clean, affordable, Irish energy.”
Building momentum
Wind Energy Ireland’s monthly wind energy report follows the launch of its latest planning report on the number of wind energy projects in the planning system during the first quarter of 2026.
Although no new wind farms were approved for planning in Q1, five projects have received decisions by ACP since the start of Q2 helping to build momentum in the sector.
Noel Cunniffe added: “Every wind turbine generating electricity helps reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels and lowers electricity costs. To deliver those benefits sooner, we need quicker planning decisions and faster grid connections for renewable energy projects.
“Recent Eurostat figures show that Ireland has the highest electricity prices in Europe. The best way to bring bills down is to generate more affordable, clean energy here at home from renewable sources like wind and solar.”
Top wind counties
The latest figures from Infranua show that Kerry held on to its position as Ireland’s leading source of wind energy with around 154 GWh of power generated last month.
It was followed by Cork at 137 GWh and Offaly with 104 GWh. Galway and Tyrone took the final two spots having produced 89 GWh and 83 GWh respectively. Together, the top three counties provided 30 per cent of Ireland’s wind power.
Noel Cunniffe concluded: “As reflected in the Climate Change Advisory Council’s latest review of the electricity sector last week, speeding up the delivery of renewable energy – including faster planning decisions in line with EU reforms and investing in grid infrastructure – will be key to building a cleaner, more affordable electricity system for Ireland.”
The results of this report are based on EirGrid’s SCADA data compiled by MullanGrid, market data provided by ElectroRoute and county-level wind generation data provided by Infranua based on D+1 SEMO data.