Ireland is playing a lead role in Europe in adding wind power and other renewables to our energy supplies, according to a new report .

Ireland is on target to achieve its target of 40 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2020, and in achieving that target, it will have one of highest levels of wind power as a percentage of system demand in Europe, according to the EirGrid Annual Renewable Report which was launched in Dublin by Energy Minister Eamon Ryan.

At the end of 2009 there was 1526 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy installed in Ireland. This figure includes wind power (1260 MW), hydro (236 MW) and other small renewable energy sources (30 MW). By July this year, this had increased by a further 200MW of installed wind capacity. The amount of power generated from renewable sources in 2009 was over 14 per cent and sufficient capacity is in place in Ireland to meet the target of 15 per cent this year.

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Minister Ryan said: "Every year, Ireland sends €6 billion of public monies out of the country to pay for imported gas, oil and coal. This figure is unsustainable and must be reduced. The sure-fire, guaranteed way of doing this is by developing and using our own indigenous renewable energy.

"With the best resources in Europe, we can afford to be ambitious in our plans. Our overall national target of 40% renewable electricity will be reached and surpassed to the point of export, when Ireland's wind and waves can bring money back into this country."

9 MW of wind generation was added to the power system in Northern Ireland during 2009 bringing the total installed capacity there to 301MW. During 2009, 8.7% of demand was supplied from wind generation. As a result, Northern Ireland has already achieved its renewables obligation of 6.3% by 2012/13. It is anticipated that a further 70 MW of wind generation will be connected in Northern Ireland by the end of 2010.

(CD)