Editing Geography of Ireland (section)

====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>