53. Wind Energy Ireland
WEI Submission on the strategic issues and options
paper for Monaghan County Council 2025 – 2031
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INTRODUCTION
Table of Contents
1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 WEI and Wind Energy in Ireland ............................................................................................. 3
1.2 Wind Energy and Public Opinion ............................................................................................ 5
1.3 Wind Cuts Carbon and Cuts Energy Bills ................................................................................. 6
1.4 Regional Contribution of Wind Farms .................................................................................... 6
1.5 International Context and Policy Drivers ................................................................................ 8
2 Policy Ambition on Climate Action & Renewable Electricity .......................................................... 9
3 Climate Change - Facilitating Wind Energy Development ............................................................ 10
3.1 Importance of Onshore Wind Energy ................................................................................... 10
4 Regional Approach ........................................................................................................................ 12
5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 14
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INTRODUCTION
1 Introduction
Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) welcomes the opportunity to comment on the review of the existing
Monaghan County Development Plan 2019 – 2025 (CDP 2019) and the preparation of the new
Monaghan County Development Plan 2025 – 2031 (CDP 2025). We have reviewed the strategic
policies and objectives relating to wind energy development in the CDP 2019 and the matters raised
in the Pre-Draft Issues Paper, which was published to stimulate discussion in the review process.
As the review will inform the vision, objectives, and policies of the new plan for Monaghan from 2025,
WEI very much welcomes the opportunity to make a submission at the pre-draft stage and look
forward to engaging constructively with Monaghan County Council throughout the development plan
process.
From our experience of the operation of the existing CDP 2019, WEI has an insight into what has
worked well in applying the current policies and objectives and how policy can be further developed
to ensure that the planning system facilitates good planning, supports renewable energy for the good
of the consumer and helps drive sustainable energy development, as well as helping meet ambitious
targets of doubling the installed wind energy capacity of Ireland to achieve a minimum 80% renewable
electricity output by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
This submission sets out the strategic context for wind energy development in Ireland before
suggesting how specific local policies and objectives can help guide developers, provide an element of
certainty, and ensure that such developments are carried out at locations and in ways that accord with
the proper planning and sustainable development of the county and region.
1.1 WEI and Wind Energy in Ireland
Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) is the representative body for the Irish wind industry, working to promote
wind energy as an essential, economical, and environmentally friendly part of the country’s low-
carbon energy future. We are Ireland’s largest renewable energy organisation, with close to 200
members who have come together to plan, build, operate and support the development of the
country’s chief renewable energy resource.
Ireland has just over 300 operational wind farms,1 representing an investment of over €7 billion and,
as of 2022, 34 per cent of Ireland’s electricity. The wind energy industry supports 5,000 jobs and
annually pays more than €48 million in commercial rates to local authorities2. We are a country with
enormous renewable energy resources and potential and a world leader at incorporating onshore
wind into the national grid. Wind energy decarbonises the electricity supply, cuts energy import costs
and drives down wholesale electricity prices.
To achieve this, Ireland has built just over 300 onshore wind farms, mostly since 2003, with a combined
capacity of 4632 megawatts (MW) (see Figure 1 for historical growth of wind) and over 2,500 wind
turbines. Even though these wind farms are supplying Ireland with the highest share of onshore wind
1 It should be noted that WEI, like the transmission system operator EirGrid, bases these figures on the number
of individual wind farm connections. Some larger wind farms may have multiple connections.
2 Independent research carried out by Eamonn Halpin & Co. LTD – ‘Report on the rateable liabilities of wind
farms’ on behalf of WEI (2022).
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INTRODUCTION
in any EU electricity system, the resource in Ireland is so large that Ireland’s turbine density is relatively
low by EU standards. Due to a delay between the end of the REFIT scheme and the start of the RESS
scheme, only 135 MW and 54 MW were installed in 2020 and 2021 respectively. There was an
improvement in 2022 but the added capacity was below the 300 MW average we saw in the preceding
two decades.
Five other EU countries have a higher number of turbines per square kilometre than Ireland, as shown
in Figure 2, suggesting there is still potential for further growth.
Figure 1: Installed capacity of onshore wind in Ireland since 2000.3
Figure 2: Turbine density in various European countries.
3 Based on WEI databases
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INTRODUCTION
Onshore and offshore wind power now needs to propel Ireland to renewable energy heights if we are
to meet the future renewable energy targets set out in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan. Government
ambitions were initially set on developing at least 3.5 GW of offshore wind by 2030, this was later
increased to 5 GW through the Programme for Government (PfG) agreed in June 2020. This is on top
of the onshore commitments of an increase from ~ 4632 MW as of June 2023 to ~ 9000 MW by 2030.
It is critical that the new MCC Development Plan provides every opportunity to get as many of the
projects currently in development through the planning and approvals system to enable them to
contribute to hitting our 2030 targets and to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Changes made to various government renewable energy policies in recent years have positioned
planning permission as the critical first stage of any renewable energy project. Only when planning
permission is secured can a project now apply for grid connection to export energy to the national
grid and identify a route to market to sell it. Clear and supportive planning policies are needed for
wind and all renewable energy developments to meet the challenges of climate change and
decarbonisation over the coming decades.
1.2 Wind Energy and Public Opinion
The most recent opinion poll carried out for WEI by Interactions 4 found that 80 per cent of Irish people
were strongly in favour of, or tended to favour, wind energy (see Error! Reference source not
found.3). It is important to reiterate that these figures have been born out through similar polling over
the years, including with different polling companies. Furthermore, the opinion poll also goes to show
that Nationally 58% of people indicated they would be open to a wind farm being developed in their
local area. This marks the highest number in favour since WEI began this tracking. Only 1 in 10 rural
residents opposed the development of a wind farm in their local area. Almost half of respondents
(45%) ranked cheaper electricity as the top wind energy benefit.
Figure 3: Results from opinion poll carried out by ‘Interactions’ on the attitude of Irish people
towards wind energy.
4 https://windenergyireland.com/images/Final_WEI_Annual_Attitudes_Survey_2022.pdf
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INTRODUCTION
1.3 Wind Cuts Carbon and Cuts Energy Bills
Irish consumers avoided paying €2 billion for gas last year because the country’s wind farms provided
34 per cent of our electricity, up four points on 2021. The figures come from a new analysis published
today by energy specialists Baringa entitled Cutting Carbon, Cutting Bills: Analysis of gas savings
delivered by wind farms in 20225.
The Baringa analysis found that without wind energy, Ireland would have had to spend an additional
€1.65 billion on gas for power generation in 2022 and an extra €340 million on carbon credits to
produce electricity by burning that gas. The savings were particularly significant on days with
extremely high gas prices and large volumes of wind energy on the electricity system. On a single day
– Tuesday 8 March – the combination of high winds and soaring gas prices delivered a total avoided
cost of €43 million in just 24 hours.
It is important to consider the views of those living near wind farms, but this must be measured against
the needs of the wider population of the County, region and State when identifying the priorities for
a new Monaghan County Development Plan.
1.4 Regional Contribution of Wind Farms
Across Ireland, the onshore wind sector contributes €48 million to local authority tax take. This is a
significant sum, supporting local employment, local services, and investments in communities. In
some locations, they can represent more than 10% of a council’s commercial rates income6.
5 https://www.windenergyireland.com/images/Article_files/20230120_Cutting_Carbon_Cutting_Bills.pdf
6 https://windenergyireland.com/images/files/economic-impact-of-onshore-wind-in-ireland.pdf
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INTRODUCTION
Figure 4: Local Authority Rates from Wind Farms by County, Source WEI
The sector also makes a vital contribution to Gross Value Add (GVA) on a regional level. This takes the
form of spend on suppliers to maintain existing wind farms and turbines, and these suppliers’ induced
spend in local shops and on local services.
It is estimated that in 2020 estimated that total GVA from operational spend Nationally is €140 million.
Currently, the Southern region makes the greatest contribution to national GVA (€83 million),
following by the Northern and Western region (€50 million), and the Eastern and Midlands region (€7
million). Given Ireland’s relatively small land mass, the benefits of onshore wind are likely to flow
between and across regions.
Figure 5: Analysis Based on KPMG Impact Model
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INTRODUCTION
1.5 International Context and Policy Drivers
Beyond the climate emergency, the ongoing war in Ukraine has made even more pressing the need to
develop Ireland’s indigenous energy generation resources to bring about predictability, self-reliance,
and security of energy supply. The broad global, European, and national policy contexts have shifted
towards a more rapid focus on the transition to renewables as states try to rebalance the over-reliance
on Russian oil and gas supplies. As the key driver of decarbonisation within Ireland’s electricity sector,
wind energy has an important role to play in this movement, presenting the potential to move Ireland
into centre stage as a global leader of wind energy production.
To that end, REPowerEU proposes new EU legislation7 that will, until climate neutrality is achieved,
require that all member states institute a presumption that renewable developments are in the
overriding public interest and serving public health and safety when balancing legal interests in
individual cases.8 This would apply to the planning, construction, and operation of plants built to
produce energy from renewable sources, and for their connection to the grid, related grid
development, and storage assets. As national, regional and local planning policy will be governed by
this change, it is important that variations to existing city and county development plans and new
plans take account of this upcoming change and ensure it is accommodated in these vital local
planning strategies.
7 To be introduced through the amendment of EU Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the Promotion of Energy from
Renewable Sources, Directive 2010/31/EU on the Energy Performance of Buildings and Directive 2012/27/EU on
Energy Efficiency
8 For the purposes of Articles 6(4) and 16(1)(c) of Directive 92/43/EEC, Article 4(7) of Directive 2000/60/EC and
Article 9(1)(a) of Directive 2009/147/
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POLICY AMBITION ON CLIMATE ACTION & RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY
2 Policy Ambition on Climate Action & Renewable Electricity
The National Climate Action Plan 2023 (‘CAP’) set an ambitious 80% target for renewable electricity
production by 2030. To meet this, we must double amount of electricity currently generated in Ireland
from renewables. Figure 5 below, taken from the CAP 2023, illustrate Ireland’s current and projected
renewable electricity production requirements to meet the 80% target.
Based on the CAP assumptions, onshore wind will provide most of the required electricity yield out to
2030. Taking account of this, Monaghan County Council and all local authorities must be cautious
when considering the designation of areas for renewable energy development, so as not to constrain
any areas with renewable energy potential, particularly those potentially suited to wind generation.
Figure 6: Ireland's electricity generation targets 2030
The CAP requires 4,600 MW of additional wind energy development over the next decade to reach
the 2030 target of generating 80% of Ireland’s electricity through renewable sources. To put this in
context, it took 20 years to install the existing 4,632 MW of wind energy and we must now more than
double that in half the time. All local authorities have an important role to play in delivering on this
lofty aim.
WEI has, however, observed such calculations in draft and finalised CDPs from across the country,
which suggests that this exercise is not only possible but is eminently achievable within the scope of
the resources available to Irish local authorities.
Though we do not suggest that such a task is easy as it requires substantial technical data and know-
how to accurately gauge such development potential, WEI would be disappointed to see a similar
approach being taken to the new draft CDP that is due to govern the strategic development of the
county in the crucial years from 2025 to 2031 when many of the country’s initial climate targets fall
due for realisation. We view it as well within the scope, expertise, and ability of Monaghan County
Council to produce such calculations and would like to impress upon the local authority the
importance of adhering to this responsibility as set out in national policy to ensure a clear headline
target is set for wind energy development across the county.
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CLIMATE CHANGE - FACILITATING WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
3 Climate Change - Facilitating Wind Energy Development
3.1 Importance of Onshore Wind Energy
Ireland currently boasts close to 4700 MW of installed onshore wind generation capacity (Wind
Energy Ireland, 2023). Monaghan has an installed capacity of only 27.2 MW (0.6% of installed
capacity in ROI) of onshore wind, lagging behind many other counties. WEI would ask
Monaghan County council to consider deploying a wind energy strategy in their new CDP in
2025 to aid the county increase their share of onshore wind energy which will be crucial in the
battle against climate change and meeting Irelands 2030 CAP targets. Monaghan has the
opportunity under the new CDP for 2025 to implement a wind energy strategy, such as what
Clare County council have done9 . By doing this Monaghan can create a clear strategic plan and
a clear pathway to generate jobs and investment within the county that will be sustained for
decades to come.
Figure 7: County by County share of onshore wind energy as of 2022
To meet Ireland’s national target to reach net zero by 2050 and increase the amount of
electricity produced from renewable sources to 80% by 2030, installed onshore wind capacity
must double in the coming eight years. Though WEI’s members are currently engaged in the
development of a range of ambitious and ground-breaking offshore wind energy projects that
are set to produce a step-change in Ireland’s installed wind energy capacity, much of this is not
set to be delivered until the latter years of the current decade and into the 2030s. This is owing
9 https://www.clarecoco.ie/services/planning/ccdp2017-2023/vol6/clare-county-development-plan-2017-2023-volume-6-
clare-renewable-energy-strategy-2017-2023-24127.pdf
0.0
100.0
200.0
300.0
400.0
500.0
600.0
700.0
800.0
KerryCorkDonegalTipperaryGalwayMayoClareLimerickWexfordOffalyCavanRoscommonWicklowSligoLeitrimWaterfordKilkennyMonaghanLouthLaoisCarlowMeathDublinKildareLongfordWestmeathMWCounty
ROI Installed Capacity (2022)
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CLIMATE CHANGE - FACILITATING WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
to a range of factors, including the time and resources involved in developing projects of the
scale and complexity seen in offshore wind energy.
Other forms of renewable energy production can and must also contribute to our drive towards
Ireland’s 2030 and 2050 goals, these include solar, biomass, and green hydrogen energy
production. However, none of these energy sources can currently compete with the scale of
renewable energy generation possible through responsible wind energy generation.
This means that onshore wind is set to continue as the workhorse of Ireland’s renewable energy
generation sector up to 2030 if not beyond. To reach our targets, not only do we need to
maintain and find technological solutions to repower or extend existing onshore wind energy
assets, but we must also identify suitable sites that will allow for sustainable, appropriate, and
vital new onshore wind developments across the country.
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REGIONAL APPROACH
4 Regional Approach
WEI acknowledges that Monaghan County Council is only responsible for its own functional area and
that the new CDP 2025 and Renewable Energy Strategy for the County will only extend as far as the
Monaghan County boundary. Nevertheless, WEI would like to highlight to the local authority and its
members where it is expected the new Renewable Energy Strategy will fit into a regional and national
planning policy context in the future. The Renewable Electricity Spatial Policy Framework and
roadmap for Regional Renewable Electricity Strategies are expected imminently. This will likely need
to be incorporated into the CDP as it progresses.
WEI has been advocating for a regional-approach to the spatial planning of wind farm developments
for some time to complement the local authority-level approach that has been the case to-date. WEI
previously prepared a Discussion Document (available upon request) on this specific topic, which
outlines the benefits of a regional approach. In sum:
• It fits within and neatly complements the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) now
prepared for the three regions. (As the three RSES policy documents have now been formally
adopted, spatial plans for renewable energy projects can be progressed as supplementary
work streams by the Regional Assemblies and compliment the RSES).
• A single, consistent methodology can be used across an entire region and across all three
regions in the country, including across county and local authority boundary areas where
approaches to-date have been inconsistent in many cases.
• A regional approach would ensure that the optimum locations for wind energy development
are identified, and every county’s potential is assessed in a regional and national context, in
direct comparison with the rest of the region.
• It would ensure that national targets, objectives, and requirements for the delivery of wind
energy directly translate into the identification of suitable areas and corridors, and a sufficient
quantum of land is identified and deemed appropriate to ensure national targets, objectives,
and requirements can be delivered.
• Landscape sensitivity, value and capacity can be assessed on a broader, regional scale, rather
than just within the sometimes-limited confines of an individual county. This would provide
consistent, evidence-based landscape policies across local authority areas, and ensure the
appropriate landscape policies are implemented irrespective of the county boundaries. It
would also ensure that wind and other electricity infrastructure projects that span or are
visible across county boundaries, can be assessed in a consistent landscape policy context.
• While the National Landscape Strategy will have to provide for all forms of development and
types of land uses, the assessment of landscape sensitivity and capacity specifically for wind
energy and electricity infrastructure is a much more defined work stream, that could be
progressed in advance. Existing Local Authority landscape policies can be used to align
landscape values across a region, to ensure existing local policy is fully considered when
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REGIONAL APPROACH
moving to a regional approach for the assessment of landscape sensitivity and capacity for
wind energy and other electricity infrastructure.
A regional approach to the spatial planning for wind energy was suggested by WEI as far back as March
2018 and is still considered vital if the transition to a low carbon economy in the coming years is to be
achieved. WEI maintains it is essential to plan for this transition, based on the three Regional Assembly
areas in addition to the 31 Local Authority areas as has been the case to-date. The regional approach
would undoubtedly provide a more appropriate platform for ensuring national policy can be
transposed effectively to local level, and ensure a consistent approach is used across the entire
country that reflects government policy.
In addition to the local authority-based approach to incorporating renewable strategies into their
respective development plans, to compliment the Renewable Electricity Policy and Development
Framework (REPDF) currently being prepared by the Department of Environment, Climate and
Communications (DECC), WEI will continue to advocate for the accelerated preparation of Regional
Renewable Energy Strategies and prioritisation by the three Regional Assemblies. Only the Regional
Renewable Energy Strategies can ensure that a sufficient quantum of land within each region is
identified as having wind energy potential sufficient to meet the national requirements.
WEI recommends that Monaghan County Council adopt a regionally focused approach to developing
the Draft Monaghan County Development Plan by consulting the CDPs produced by neighbouring
counties and all relevant regional strategies and guidelines that might inform a coordinated and
strategic approach to planning development.
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CONCLUSION
5 Conclusion
WEI would again like to thank Monaghan County Council for the opportunity to contribute to the
discussion surrounding the development of a new CDP that will govern strategic development across
the county during the crucial years leading up to the key 2030 climate milestone. We have great hope
that the local authority will produce a thoughtful, forward-looking, and ambitious CDP that can help
to guide Monaghan forward towards a world of decarbonisation where landscapes, natural habitats,
and human endeavours can be brought into greater alignment and harmony than has ever been
possible before in the modern world.
As part of that, WEI hopes to see a considered and nuanced approach to the further development of
the county’s policy framework for wind energy development to ensure the considerable potential for
renewable assets within the county’s boundaries can be realised in line with the principles of proper
and sustainable planning.
WEI looks forward with anticipation to viewing the Draft Monaghan CDP 2025 – 2031 within the
context of the second phase of the CDP development process and wishes all involved in crafting this
key strategic planning document well with the considerable work that lies ahead.
WEI Recommends:
• That Monaghan County Council adopt a regionally focused approach to developing the Draft
Monaghan County Development Plan by consulting the CDPs produced by neighbouring
counties and all relevant regional strategies and guidelines that might inform a coordinated
and strategic approach to planning development.
• The full implementation of the Regional Renewable Electricity Spatial strategy – a key piece
of national policy currently under construction - is of crucial importance.