Wind responsible for 51% of State’s electricity last month

Gas demand fell 3 per cent last month as strong wind generation outweighed demand increases from industrial users. However, demand for the year to date is up 5 per cent, new figures show.

Favourable weather conditions in February led to wind generation accounting for 51 per cent of the country’s electricity requirements – the second-highest contribution on record.

At its peak, wind provided 75 per cent of demand with a low of 9 per cent during the month.

Figures compiled by Gas Networks Ireland show gas demand rose in some industry sectors in February, including in health-focused settings – hospitals (10.9 per cent), medical devices (11.9 per cent) and pharma (7 per cent) – while manufacturing rose 21 per cent in comparison with the same month last year.

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The impact of Covid-19, however, was evident, with demand remaining low in areas such as education (-5 per cent) and offices (-12 per cent).

Gas demand for residential customers was down 6 per cent in the month but is up 5 per cent in the year to date.

Demand for gas in transport rose by nearly 20 per cent between January and February and Gas Networks Ireland said it had recently launched a €2.9 million fund to support Irish haulage companies to switch from diesel vehicles to cleaner compressed natural gas vehicles.

Gas demand for power generation is up by 2 per cent since the start of the year, the latest figures show.