Ireland's national electricity grid experienced a record-breaking March for solar power, with renewable sources contributing to 39% of the country's electricity supply, according to provisional figures from EirGrid.

Key points:

Solar Power Peak:

• On March 25th, grid-scale solar power reached a new peak of over 750 Megawatts (MW), surpassing the previous record set in July 2024.

• March also marked the third-highest monthly production of solar-powered electricity.

Renewable Energy Contribution:

• Renewable energy sources, in total, accounted for 39% of Ireland's electricity generation in March.

• Wind power supplied a third of the national electricity demand. Battery Storage Records:

• March 14th saw a record-breaking discharge from grid-scale battery power sources.

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Grid Stability:

• EirGrid highlighted the complex nature of integrating renewable energy sources, with Ireland's current system non-synchronous penetration (SNSP) limit of 75% being among the world's highest.

• While renewable generation peaked at 75% during some periods of march, at other times renewable power generation provided as low as 5% of demand.

Grid Upgrades:

• EirGrid is implementing extensive grid reinforcements and infrastructure upgrades to facilitate the connection of further renewable energy sources and achieve the government's target of 80% renewable electricity.

Charlie McGee, System Operational Manager at EirGrid, said: "March was a landmark month for solar power on the electricity grid.

While just under 3% of total electricity generation came from solar for the month, during particularly sunny periods this peaked at over 18% which augurs well for further records this summer.

"This is made possible by the connection of greater amounts of grid-scale solar as we work towards achieving a cleaner energy future for Ireland's power system.

"It was also encouraging to see a new peak set for power discharged from batteries on the grid. February's wind power record followed by a new solar peak in March shows the need for battery storage so we can hold greater amounts of renewable electricity in reserve for use during periods of high demand."