Over a dozen wind farm projects are now waiting more than a year for a planning decision, while just three have gained planning approval so far this year, according to Wind Energy Ireland’s latest quarterly report.
The report highlights a slowdown in planning approvals from last year, with no new wind energy farms approved by An Coimisiún Pleanála until the end of March 2026, compared to seven projects (402 MW) approved in the same period in 2025.
It says nine projects with an estimated capacity of 592 MW are waiting more than a year for a decision with an additional six projects, 406 MW, in the planning system for more than two years.
Wind Energy Ireland CEO Noel Cunniffe said: “At a time when Ireland is again exposed to the volatility of global fossil fuel markets, Irish wind farms reduce our reliance on imports and strengthen our supply of clean, local, electricity.
“While An Coimisiún Pleanála is working towards clearer statutory timelines, in practice many projects are still waiting longer than expected”.
The ambition of the Government’s Climate Action Plan 2025 is to have 80% of all electricity generated by wind and solar power by 2030.
According the latest CSO figures, 40.2% of Ireland’s electricity grid comes from renewable energy. The CSO data covers the period to 2024.Just over half of this, 55.6%, comes from wind energy.
More positively, the Wind Energy Ireland report highlights an improvement in planning approvals last year compared to 2024. Some 15 new wind energy projects totalling 626 MW were approved in 2025, representing an 88% approval rate compared to 45% in 2024.
“There are currently 40 wind energy projects in the planning system. Each of these projects is an opportunity to strengthen Ireland’s energy security and reduce our vulnerability to volatile global fossil fuel prices,” Mr Cunniffe said.
Figures for last month from ElectroRoute, which shares market data with Wind Energy Ireland, shows how wind energy can positively impact the wholesale price of electricity, which averaged at €113.19 per MWh.
On the highest three days of wind last month, the wholesale price of electricity ranged from €99.04 to €115.81 per MWh.
Yet on the lowest three days of wind, the wholesale price rose significantly rising to a range of €191.09 to €201.07 per MWh.
Wind Energy Ireland’s report comes as Wednesday’s Eurostat figures revealed that Irish consumers pay the highest electricity bills in the EU.
Bills are based on the wholesale price of electricity, plus the Public Service Obligation (PSO) levy, VAT, and the electricity companies’ standing charges.
As Ireland’s national planning body, An Coimisiún Pleanála is responsible for the determination of strategic infrastructure direct applications and appeals of planning authority decisions. These include wind farms but also other renewable energy, transport, housing and infrastructure projects.
In response to Wind Energy Ireland’s report, An Coimisiún Pleanála said “a number of the live wind farm cases that have been with the commission for more than 12 months are subject to requests for further information from the applicant to assist the commission in its final decision.”
“All our decisions are subject to legal scrutiny and failure by the commission to engage appropriately with possible gaps in information may lead to judicial review and the risk of the decisions being set aside,” it added.
Separately, An Coimisiún Pleanála made decisions to grant permission for six solar farms in the January to March 2026 period.
“The RED III (Renewable Energy) Directive provisions now in effect, streamline permitting requirements for renewable energy projects and include a requirement to determine onshore renewable energy developments within 52 weeks and offshore developments within a maximum period of 65 weeks. The commission is committed to meeting these statutory deadlines”.
