FLEXING THE SOLAR NEXUS

New grid record for power from the sun

- KEITH FALKINER

IRELAND set new records for solar power on the national electricity grid last month with 39% of supply from renewable sources, EirGrid confirmed.

March 25 saw a new peak for grid-scale solar power with more than 750 megawatts - 18 MW more than a previous record from July last year.

This follows a new peak wind power record on the grid set in February.

Last month saw the third-highest ever amount of solar powered electricity produced in the course of a calendar month.

It also recorded further records with the highest ever level of discharge from grid-scale battery power sources seen on March 14.

Wind power met a third of electricity demand in March, while gas was the single biggest source of electricity generation for the month at 39%, and 18% of demand was met by electricity imported via interconnection.

Charlie McGee, EirGrid's system operational manager, said: "March was a landmark month for solar power on the electricity grid.

TOTAL