The recently published Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) sets out a plan to implement the carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings along with a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve our emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050, as was committed to in the Programme for Government. Under the Climate Action Plan 2023, Government has set an ambitious target of having an 80% share of electricity generation capacity coming from renewable sources by 2030.
The Climate action Plan includes increases to the proportion of renewable electricity to 80% by 2030 and a target of 9 GW from onshore wind, 8 GW from solar, and at least 5 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030.
With approximately 4,500 MW of connected wind generation capacity, we are in the top five globally for installed wind power capacity per capita. In order to build on this success and increase wind and solar generation on the grid, my Department is delivering a regular programme of auctions under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).
The below table from the SEAI includes data of our current amount of electricity generated this year to date
Type of Generation
|
2023 YTD GWh
|
Coal
|
448
|
Co-fired Peat and biomass
|
191
|
Oil
|
77
|
Natural gas
|
4977
|
Other renewables
|
72
|
Wastes
|
190
|
Other (CHP etc)
|
5
|
Conventional thermal
|
Total 5960
|
|
|
Hydro
|
348
|
Wind
|
4463
|
Solar
|
61
|
Non-Combustible renewable generation
|
Total 4872
|
|
|
Total Indigenous Generation
|
10832
|