Ireland has surpassed 1.2 GW of cumulative installed solar PV capacity, with the residential segment of the market accounting for 20% of the total additional capacity installed over the past six months.
The country now has more than 100,000 rooftop solar projects, adding more than 400MW of clean energy to the national grid, according to new figures from ESB Networks, Ireland’s distribution system operator.
Nicholas Tarrant, Ireland managing director of ESB Networks, said: “The delivery of 100,000 renewable rooftop solar generator connections is significant. Solar energy is the fastest growing renewable energy source in Ireland, and the 400 MW of microgeneration complements a further 800 MW of larger scale solar connected in recent years. “It is a testament to customers choosing to significantly reduce their carbon footprint and help displace the use of imported fossil fuels.”
According to PV Magazine, ESB Networks said construction of rooftop solar panels has accelerated. In February, ESB Networks connected 1 GW of solar power to Ireland’s grid, comprising 500 MW of utility-scale solar connections, 300 MW of microgeneration such as rooftop solar, and 200 MW of non-export solar generation.
Eamon Ryan, Ireland’s Climate Minister, described the country’s push towards solar energy as a “rooftop revolution,” the same term used by UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband when he referred to his desire to triple solar energy capacity by 2030.
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