In Ireland electrical and thermal energy demand is primarily
met through the combustion of natural gas and coal. The only
indigenous fossil fuel, peat, contributed just over 5% of the primary
energy demand in 2010 with renewable energy accounting for 4.5%
of the total final consumption [2]. Electrical demand is met by generation
in a number of large-scale, centralised power stations while
thermal demand is mainly met through electric (storage) heating
and the direct consumption of natural gas or domestic heating
oil on-site. As mentioned previously, Ireland has the potential to
produce energy from a variety of renewable resources including
wind, wave, biomass, and hydropower. Renewable energy currently
plays a role in electricity generation mainly through hydroelectric
and wind-generated power. The degree of penetration of
these renewable options has been limited, however. In 2011 there
were 148 wind farms actively generating electricity in Ireland with
a total installed capacity of 1600 MWe [13]. The total capacity of
hydroelectric stations was approximately 240MW in 2009 [14].
Much of Ireland’s hydropower resource potential has already been
tapped in terms of medium-scale hydroelectric schemes however
opportunities remain for small-scale decentralised generation: in
a study conducted in 1985 the Department of Energy identified
483 potential sites for small-scale hydroelectric power [15].
Hydroelectric power accounted for just over 2% of the gross electricity
consumption in 2010 in Ireland [2].
Wind energy has the greatest potential for both large-scale and
small-scale decentralised generation of renewable energy in Ireland.
Indeed, Ireland has a wind energy resource four times the
European average [6] due to its geographical location. The estimated