Wind energy generation in Ireland reached the third-highest level on record for July, contributing 24% of the country's electricity needs, according to a report by Wind Energy Ireland (WEI).
However, ongoing issues with grid connections and infrastructure are impeding further advancements in the sector, resulting in a loss of potential renewable energy.
WEI external affairs director Justin Moran said: “Every year we are losing more and more of Ireland’s most affordable renewable electricity because our existing grid is not strong enough to take the power our wind farms produce.
“The additional €3.5bn ($4bn) for grid development announced in the revised National Development Plan will help transform our electricity system and speed up the delivery of clean and affordable power to Irish homes and businesses.”
Last month, wind farms across Ireland generated 786GWh of electricity. Cork wind farms outperformed all counties by producing 85GWh, surpassing Kerry, which had held the top spot since the start of the year.
Kerry followed closely with 84GWh, with Offaly, Galway, and Mayo also contributing notable figures of 54GWh, 53GWh, and 51GWh, respectively. The combined efforts of the top three counties accounted for over a quarter of the nation's wind energy output last month.
Wholesale electricity prices in Ireland saw a slight increase after months of decline.
The average wholesale price of electricity per megawatt-hour in July 2025 was €99.61, reflecting a 10% decrease from €110.94 in July 2024.
On days with high wind power generation, the average cost for a megawatt-hour of electricity dropped to €84.80, whereas it escalated to €111.55 on days heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
Moran added: “Research published in 2025 shows that since 2000, renewable electricity has – conservatively – saved consumers nearly €1bn and that figure will keep rising.”
The report also highlighted that wind energy has accounted for 31% of Ireland's electricity generation in the first seven months of the year.
The data used in the report includes SCADA information from EirGrid, market data from ElectroRoute, and county-level wind generation statistics from Green Collective.
