Ireland approved no new wind farms during the first quarter of 2026, marking a sharp slowdown in renewable energy planning decisions despite a strong pipeline of projects awaiting approval, according to the latest quarterly planning report from Wind Energy Ireland.

The industry body said no wind energy projects received approval from An Coimisiún Pleanála between January and March 2026, compared with seven projects totaling 402 MW approved during the same period in 2025.

The report highlights growing concerns over delays in the planning system, with nearly 2,500 MW of wind energy projects currently under review. Of these, nine projects with an estimated combined capacity of 592 MW have been awaiting a decision for more than a year, while a further six projects totaling 406 MW have remained in the planning system for over two years.

Industry warns of growing backlog

Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, said the delays come at a time when Ireland remains exposed to fluctuations in global fossil fuel markets.

“Today’s report shows that no new wind farms were approved in the first quarter of 2026 and nearly 1,000 MW of projects have been waiting over a year for a decision which is extremely frustrating,” Cunniffe said.

He added that although An Coimisiún Pleanála is working toward clearer statutory timelines, many projects continue to face longer-than-expected waiting periods.

“Closing the gap between the statutory timelines and actual decisions is essential to cut bills for Irish consumers,” he said.

2025 saw fewer decisions despite higher approval rate

The Q1 2026 report follows what Wind Energy Ireland described as a mixed year for planning decisions in 2025.

According to the organization’s analysis, 15 new wind energy projects with a combined capacity of 626 MW were approved last year. While the number of overall decisions remained relatively low, the proportion of approved projects increased significantly.

The approval rate reached 88% in 2025, compared with 45% in 2024, making it one of the strongest years to date in terms of project success rates before the planning authority.

However, Cunniffe noted that the total number of planning decisions published in 2025 was lower than in both 2024 and 2023, even as the backlog of applications continued to grow.

“There are currently 40 wind energy projects in the planning system. Each of these projects is an opportunity to strengthen Ireland’s energy security and reduce our vulnerability to volatile global fossil fuel prices,” he said.

He also called for “timely and robust decisions” that adhere to statutory timelines to help deliver affordable renewable electricity to homes and businesses.

Positive start to second quarter

Despite the lack of approvals during the first quarter, the industry body pointed to a more encouraging start to Q2 2026 after An Coimisiún Pleanála approved three new wind farms in April.

Cunniffe said maintaining this momentum will be critical to reducing the backlog and accelerating projects toward construction.

“This trend needs to continue to build positive momentum, to get a steady stream of projects coming out of the system and to tackle the growing backlog,” he said.

He added that speeding up the delivery of wind projects would help shield Irish consumers from high energy prices while also supporting job creation across the country.