Editing Geography of Ireland (section)

===Renewable energy===
{{main|Renewable energy in the Republic of Ireland|Wind power in Ireland}}

Under the original 2009 [[Renewable Energy Directive]] the Republic of Ireland had set a target of producing 16% of all its energy needs from renewable energy sources by 2020 but in 2018 the second Renewable Energy Directive increased the target to 32% by 2030. Between 2005 and 2014 the percentage of energy from renewable energy sources grew from just 3.1% to 8.6% of total final consumption. By 2020 the overall renewable energy share was 13.5%, short of its Renewable Energy Drive target of 16%.<ref name="seai">{{Cite web |title=Renewables |url=https://www.seai.ie/data-and-insights/seai-statistics/key-statistics/renewables/ |access-date=11 November 2023 |website=Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland |archive-date=3 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203200830/https://www.seai.ie/data-and-insights/seai-statistics/key-statistics/renewables/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Renewable electricity accounted for 69% of all renewable energy used in 2020, up from two thirds (66.8%) in 2019.<ref name="seai" />

====Wind====
{{main article|Wind power in Ireland}}
{{Map of wind power in Ireland|width=225}}
While hydro generated power contributed most to Ireland's renewable energy during the 20th century, so far in the 21st century there has been a significant increase in the production of energy by wind spurred by climate change concerns.<ref name="SEAI">{{cite web |title=Developing renewable energy is central to Ireland's climate change strategy |work=Renewables |publisher=[[Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland]] |url=https://www.seai.ie/data-and-insights/seai-statistics/key-statistics/renewables |access-date=19 November 2023 |archive-date=3 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231203200830/https://www.seai.ie/data-and-insights/seai-statistics/key-statistics/renewables/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Bellacorick#Wind farm|Bellacorick wind farm]], built by Bord na Móna in 1992, was the first Irish wind farm with an individual turbine capacity of 0.3&nbsp;[[Watt#Megawatt|MW]] which compared with the current capacity of 4–5&nbsp;MW means that when turbines age out, replacements will produce significantly more power per installation. {{As of|2022}} the Republic of Ireland had more than 300 wind farms but the number will have to double by 2030 if the current 40% of renewable energy is to double. Most of the energy will have to come from inshore wind farms because the sole offshore wind farm, [[Arklow Bank Wind Park]], only produces 0.6% of the nation's total wind energy. The 80% target is an ambitious aspect of the [[Climate Action Plan]] some impediments, such as [[planning permission]] and the age of existing wind farms, may hinder this aspiration.<ref name="energy obstacles">{{cite web |last=Sherlock |first=Cillian |title=Obstacles for Ireland to meet 2030 wind energy targets |work=News |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |date=3 January 2022 |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0103/1269242-wind-energy/ |access-date=10 November 2023 |archive-date=9 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109231241/https://www.rte.ie/news/2022/0103/1269242-wind-energy/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

A floating 400&nbsp;MW wind farm off the coast of Northern Ireland was proposed for the [[North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland)|North Channel]] in 2022 to be operating by 2029.<ref>{{cite news |last=Black |first=Rebecca |title=Multi-million pound floating wind farm proposed off Northern Ireland coast |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |date=22 February 2022 |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/multi-million-pound-floating-wind-farm-proposed-off-northern-ireland-coast/41372417.html |access-date=19 November 2023 |archive-date=19 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119105104/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/multi-million-pound-floating-wind-farm-proposed-off-northern-ireland-coast/41372417.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Another northern project, opened in October 2023, was set up under a corporate [[power purchase agreement]] in which [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], who backed the project, will be the off-taker of all the power produced by the 16-MW [[Ballykeel]] 7-turbine wind farm in County Antrim.<ref>{{cite web |last=Djunisic |first=Sladjana |title=Ørsted opens Amazon-backed 16-MW wind farm in N Ireland |work=Wind News |publisher=Renewables Now |date=12 October 2023 |url=https://renewablesnow.com/news/rsted-opens-amazon-backed-16-mw-wind-farm-in-n-ireland-836610/ |access-date=9 November 2023 |archive-date=9 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109170351/https://renewablesnow.com/news/rsted-opens-amazon-backed-16-mw-wind-farm-in-n-ireland-836610/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2023, [[EDF Renewables]] announced their Carrowkeel Wind Farm which will be a 30&nbsp;MW project for County Roscommon for completion in 2028 which should power more than 20,000 homes.<ref>{{cite web |last= Djunisic |first=Sladjana |title=EDF Renewables announces 30-MW wind farm project in Ireland |work=Wind News |publisher=Renewables Now |date=9 November 2023 |url=https://renewablesnow.com/news/edf-renewables-announces-30-mw-wind-farm-project-in-ireland-839329/ |access-date=9 November 2023 }}</ref>

====Solar energy====
As of the 2020 [[Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland]] report "Energy in Ireland", solar energy was only contributing 1% of renewable energy. Opposition to the visual impact of solar farms, and other forms of renewable energy, was noted as hindering some projects. [[DIT School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering]]'s Professor Barry McMullin suggests that: "So while it's the cheapest form of electricity you can get that's only true if your demand for it happens to match when it's available. But if what you actually want is electricity on tap, then solar PV doesn't give you that".<ref>{{cite web |last=Comerford Conway |first=Jordan |title=Solar Energy in Ireland: is it the way to go? |publisher=ClimateChange.ie |date=16 May 2022 |url=https://www.climatechange.ie/solar-energy-in-ireland-is-it-the-way-to-go/ |access-date=28 November 2023 |archive-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130163609/https://www.climatechange.ie/solar-energy-in-ireland-is-it-the-way-to-go/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Solar energy for about 3,600 homes has been in production with 33,600 solar modules installed on 25 hectares near [[Ashford, County Wicklow]] since April 2022. It is the first such venture at scale in the Republic of Ireland, with a capacity of 8&nbsp;MW.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lee |first=George |title=Ireland's first large-scale solar farm opens in Wicklow |work=Environmental News |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |date=29 April 2022 |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0429/1295115-solar-farm/ |access-date=19 November 2023 |archive-date=19 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231119115434/https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0429/1295115-solar-farm/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A forecast from [[ESB Group|ESB Networks]] suggests that by the end of 2023, the country will be producing 1&nbsp;GW. This is up from the 700&nbsp;MW being produced in mid-summer from 60,000 micro-generation customers, adding to the 371&nbsp;MW of utility-scale installations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ireland's Solar Revolution |publisher=Irish Solar Energy Association |date=21 June 2023 |url=https://www.irishsolarenergy.org/news-1/ireland's-solar-revolution |access-date=28 November 2023 }}</ref> 2013 saw a new 50 million Euro solar panel scheme specially for schools in eleven counties of the Republic, that should save typical schools between €1,200 to €1,600 per year. Connected to the grid, the up-to 6-kilowatt installation will be most efficient when the schools are not in use.<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Kelly |first=Emma |title=Rollout of €50m school solar panel programme to get under way |work=Ireland News |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |date=23 November 2023 |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/1123/1418013-schools-solar-programme/ |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-date=30 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230161324/https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/1123/1418013-schools-solar-programme/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The first ground-based solar farm on the island is situated in the townland of Crookedstone, County Antrim, and is connected to Belfast International Airport, providing 27% of the airport's annual energy needs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Northern Ireland's First Large-Scale Solar Farm Connected |work=News & insights |publisher=Lightsource BP |date=18 May 2016 |url=https://lightsourcebp.com/uk/news/northern-irelands-first-large-scale-solar-farm-connected/ |access-date=29 November 2023 |archive-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130165109/https://lightsourcebp.com/uk/news/northern-irelands-first-large-scale-solar-farm-connected/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This wind farm was built by Lightsource and [[BP]] bought full control of the company in November 2023 having first invested in the company in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |last=Campbell |first=John |title=Lisburn man Nick Boyle sells solar business Lightsource to BP |work=Northern Ireland Politics |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=30 November 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-67578072 |access-date=30 November 2023 |archive-date=30 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130220346/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-67578072 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Hydroelectric power====
[[File:Lough Nahanagan.jpg|thumb|The lower reservoir of the [[Turlough Hill]] pumped-storage scheme|alt=See caption]]
The first [[Shannon hydroelectric scheme]] was constructed in 1929 within seven years of independence. Built by [[Siemens-Schuckert]] with Irish engineers doing much of the design and using mostly Irish labour, it has an 86&nbsp;MW capacity and has an annual generation capacity of 332&nbsp;[[GWh]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Ardnacrusha |publisher=[[ESB Group]] |year=2023 |url=https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/river-shannon/ |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-date=16 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616174254/https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/river-shannon/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This was followed up by the much larger [[Turlough Hill Power Station]], the only pumped-storage built into a mountain with a capacity of 292&nbsp;MW. It was completed in 1974 after 6 years of construction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Turlough Hill |publisher=[[ESB Group]] |year=2023 |url=https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/turlough-hill/ |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-date=16 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616190526/https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/turlough-hill/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A few other smaller hydroelectric stations exist around the Republic of Ireland, such as [[Poulaphouca Reservoir|Pollaphuca]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Pollaphuca |publisher=[[ESB Group]] |year=2023 |url=https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/river-liffey/ |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-date=16 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616170811/https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/river-liffey/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Inniscarra Dam]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Inniscarra |publisher=[[ESB Group]] |year=2023 |url=https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/river-lee/ |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-date=30 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230171728/https://esbarchives.ie/portfolio/river-lee/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Catherine Halpin, Ardnacrusha's plant manager, suggests the four main hydro plants are availing of about 70% of the country's water resources.<ref>{{cite web |last=Doyle |first=Carmel |title=Ireland's Ardnacrusha hydro-electric power station – a clean-tech exemplar? |work=Innovation |publisher=[[Silicon Republic]] |date=14 August 2012 |url=https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/irelands-ardnacrusha-hydro-electric-power-station-a-clean-tech-exemplar |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-date=30 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230171727/https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/irelands-ardnacrusha-hydro-electric-power-station-a-clean-tech-exemplar |url-status=live }}</ref>

A tidal energy system is in operation since 2008 in [[Strangford Lough#Tidal electricity|Strangford Lough]] producing 1.2&nbsp;MW using an underwater windmill, whose rotors at driven by the tidal currents. The power is bought for ESB Independent's Republic and Northern Ireland consumers. The system has a capacity to produce enough electricity for about 1,000 homes.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tidal energy system on full power |work=Northern Ireland News |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date=18 December 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7790494.stm |access-date=30 December 2023 |archive-date=16 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216212124/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7790494.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in Northern Ireland, an [[Evopod#1kW Evopod sea testing, Portaferry, Northern Ireland|Evopod tidal energy system]] has been tested and connected to the Marine Laboratory of [[Queen's University Belfast]] that should be connected to the electric grid.<ref>{{Cite journal |author1=Jeffcoate, Penny |author2=Starzmann, Ralf |author3=Elsaesser, Bjoern |author4=Scholl, Stefan |author5=Bischoff, Sarah |title=Field measurements of a full scale tidal turbine |journal=International Journal of Marine Energy |volume=12 |pages=3–20 |publisher=Elsevier |date=December 2015 |issn=2214-1669 |doi=10.1016/j.ijome.2015.04.002 |bibcode=2015IJME...12....3J |url=https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/cf8a9f81-0499-4c25-affc-5ce6b6612947 |access-date=14 May 2024 |archive-date=25 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825183749/https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/field-measurements-of-a-full-scale-tidal-device |url-status=live }}</ref>