A survey commissioned by Wind Energy Ireland has revealed that four in five people are in favour of wind energy development.

The research which was carried out by Interactions Research also reveals that three in five support wind farms for their local area.

The latest figures also show that there is a consistently high level of support for wind energy in Ireland, with favourable responses largely in line with 2022 figures. Meanwhile a further drop in opposition to wind energy means now just one in 25 (4 per cent) are opposed to Ireland's chief source of renewable energy.

The top reasons that people supported wind farms include cheaper electricity, reduced carbon emissions, positive environmental impacts and the role of wind energy in supporting Ireland's energy independence.

Justin Moran, Director of External Affairs at Wind Energy Ireland, said:

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"The results of the annual poll confirm the continuing popularity of Irish wind energy. Irish people want cheaper and cleaner power. They know our wind farms are the cornerstone of Irish energy independence.

"Last year was a record-breaking year for Ireland’s wind farms, producing more electricity than ever before. While consumers continued to face high energy bills, wind was critical to protect consumers from the worst effects of the fossil fuel energy crisis. In Ireland, we are fortunate that our natural resources give us a huge advantage in developing renewables and we should be doing everything we can to take advantage of this.

"These results show that Ireland overwhelmingly supports the development of Ireland’s wind energy industry. A recent study showed that offshore wind energy has the potential to be worth €38 billion to the Irish economy. We have the popular support, and we have the projects. What we need now is the skills pipeline and the planning certainty to make the most of this enormous opportunity."

The figures also highlighted strong levels of support for the offshore wind sector which showed that over three in four said they are in favour of the use of offshore wind in Ireland and four in five acknowledging its important role in delivering energy security for Ireland.

However, there was a high level of uncertainty among respondents as to whether or not we were doing enough in terms of national policies to support the development of the industry, a total of 37 per cent respondents agreed and 34 per cent disagreed.