Enough green energy to supply 600,000 homes

There is enough green energy now connected to the Republic's national electricity grid to supply 600,000 homes, according to the latest figures.

EirGrid, the State agency charged with managing the national grid, which brings power from generating plants to the distribution network, said yesterday that up to 1,034 megawatts (mw) of the electricity supplied to the system was from renewable - or green - sources.

EirGrid said that each megawatt of electricity was enough to supply roughly 650 homes.

In order for green energy suppliers to operate at full capacity, wind conditions around the State have to be good, the agency pointed out.

Wind accounts for 75 per cent of all renewable power generating capacity.

But the wind farms that produce the power operate on average one out of every two days, as conditions are not always suitable to produce electricity.

The EirGrid statement also said that on one day recently, 20 per cent of the electricity used in the State came from wind alone. Generation on the Irish power system from renewable sources constituted more than 9 per cent of total electricity demand in terms of energy last year, EirGrid said.

"Wind energy capacity alone has increased in Ireland from approximately 170 mw in 2003, to a situation now where 781 mw is capable of being supplied by 71 wind farms nationwide," it said.

It expects another 450 mw of wind to come on stream as a result of contracts agreed with suppliers this year. It also expects to sign deals for the provision of a further 1,300 mw by the end of the year.

The other sources of green energy currently operating in the State are water-generated power and energy harnessed from burning landfill gas given off by waste in dumps.

EirGrid said the system is on course to meet the Government's target of having 15 per cent of electricity used in the State generated from green sources by 2010. The EU target is 13.2 per cent.

"Generation on the Irish power system from renewable sources constituted over 9 per cent of total electricity demand in terms of energy last year," EirGrid said.

"This will increase further this year," it added.