Wind power met 27% of electricity demand in April, while solar power provided for 4% of electricity used across the country, new figures from grid operator EirGrid shows.
35.2% of electricity came from renewable energy last month, Eirgrid said.
Gas was again the single biggest source of electricity generation for the month at 41.5%, and electricity imported via interconnection met 16.5% of demand.
The provisional data from EirGrid also shows that electricity demand in April dropped to the lowest level since September after a winter period which saw new demand peaks recorded.
Overall electricity system demand stood at 2,792 GWh (Gigawatt Hours) for April – one of the only months since September where demand fell below the 3,000 GWh mark, alongside February which is a shorter month.
As forecast in EirGrid’s annual Winter Outlook report, electricity demand was strong across the month, with peak demand passing the 6,000 MW (megawatt) mark for the first time on January 8 during a particularly cold period.
Megawatt (MW) values provide snapshots of electricity demand at a particular moment in time, whereas Gigawatt Hours (GWh) reflects electricity use over a longer period.
Diarmaid Gillespie, Director of System Operations at EirGrid, said the demand profile for electricity is changing somewhat as the warmer weather and longer days reduces the need for heating and lighting.
“As we come towards summer we’ll continue to rely on a mix of generation sources to maintain a stable supply of power on the electricity grid,” he added.
