Ireland has reached a major milestone in its clean energy transition, achieving 8GW of installed renewable electricity capacity, according to the Irish government. The announcement, made by Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien, marks a significant step in securing the country’s energy future with homegrown renewable power.

Minister O’Brien highlighted the importance of the achievement, noting that it reflects the combined effort of communities, industry, and government in accelerating Ireland’s energy transition. “Expanding our homegrown renewable capacity is not only good for the climate – it is essential for delivering long-term energy security and price stability for Irish households and businesses,” he said.

Renewables account for almost half of electricity

The Irish government reports that renewables supplied almost 50% of electricity in February, underlining the rapid progress of the sector. Onshore wind continues to be the backbone of Ireland’s renewable generation, with the country receiving more electricity from onshore wind farms than any other nation in Europe. Over the past decade, wind capacity has doubled, reinforcing its leading role in the energy mix.

Meanwhile, the solar sector has experienced rapid growth and is now Ireland’s third largest source of indigenous electricity generation, complementing wind and diversifying the country’s renewable portfolio.

Infrastructure and investment driving growth

Nicholas Tarrant, Managing Director of ESB Networks, emphasized that the network operator has connected significant renewable capacity, including 189 MW of wind and solar power in the first two months of 2026 alone. “Surpassing 8 GW of renewable electricity generation connected to the electricity network is a major milestone,” he said, highlighting the importance of infrastructure development in enabling the energy transition.

The government has invested heavily to support this growth, including €3.5 billion in ESB Networks and EirGrid, described as the largest single investment in Ireland’s electricity grid in history. Schemes such as the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) and Renewable Electricity Feed-in Tariff (REFIT) have incentivized project development, with five onshore RESS auctions since 2020 and a sixth planned for this year.

Offshore wind and future plans

Ireland is also advancing offshore wind development, with five projects in progress along the east coast and an additional 900 MW procured for the south coast via last year’s Tonn Nua auction. Work is underway to bring three more south coast sites to market, alongside a National Designated Maritime Area Plan to ensure sustainable and strategic offshore wind development.

Cathal Marley, CEO of EirGrid, said that ongoing infrastructure and customer connections are central to delivering a resilient, secure, and renewable-led power system.

Ireland’s progress in both wind and solar generation demonstrates a clear commitment to clean, homegrown energy, reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels and strengthening the country’s long-term energy security.