600 People Attend two-day event in Dublin
7 October 2024: 600 people attended Ireland’s largest ever solar energy event, the Solar Ireland conference run by the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA). The theme of the conference was ‘Road to 2030’, a reference to the country’s target to deliver 8GW of solar by 2030.
Solar Ireland 2024 heard from a range of domestic and international experts. This included Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council, Declan Cullinane, the Chair of ISEA’s Board of Directors, and the President of political party Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald.
The conference also saw the publication of the first comprehensive analysis of the economic benefits of solar energy in Ireland. Sunrise: Economic Impacts of the Solar Industry in Ireland, compiled by KPMG, its key findings include:
- There is currently 1.4GW of solar capacity installed across Ireland: the equivalent of the annual power used by over 300,000 homes.
- The total economic output of solar in Ireland in 2024 will be between €1bn and €1.2bn
- The solar industry is adding considerable value to the Irish economy with a projected contribution in the region of €2.3bn to €2.7bn between 2025 and 2030. Though this figure could be more than €4bn higher were Ireland to play a greater role in the manufacturing and delivery supply chain.
- Employment in the solar industry is currently estimated at approximately 6,000 jobs supported, which could rise to over 7,100 by the end of the decade.
- Direct contributions to the state and communities from the solar industry between 2025 and 2030 could reach as high as €595m. This figure is comprised of exchequer contributions, commercial rates and community benefit fund contributions.
Sunrise demonstrates the significant economic benefits from Ireland’s solar industry. However, it also highlights the significant opportunity with much of the projected €7.3bn economic output leaving the economy to international suppliers. Ireland could yield far higher dividends if indigenous industries are supported to enter the solar supply chain.
Conall Bolger, CEO of ISEA welcomed the report’s findings saying “Solar is now powering Ireland not just with clean green and Irish energy but with economic growth. This confirms that supporting renewables is the right thing to do.
“Ireland has set an ambitious but achievable target of 8GW of solar by 2030. The environmental benefits of this were already well understood, as it would allow Ireland on a bright day to be powered by the sun. Now we can see real and very significant economic reasons why supporting solar is a positive. This year alone solar will contribute €340m back into the economy in the form of payroll, taxes and community funding. This figure and the wider gross value added will all soar if we hit our 8GW target.”
Strong Solar Pipeline
The report also analysed the pipeline of utility-scale solar projects in Ireland and found that the country is capable of achieving that 8GW target. The report estimates a total of 385 utility-scale solar farm projects are in development that could be potentially delivered this decade, providing a further 9.5GW in solar energy if all the capacity was delivered.
Welcoming the strong pipeline figures Bolger said “Ireland has made huge progress in the delivery of solar over the past four years. The prospect of there being days where solar is Ireland’s the primary electricity source is now a realistic one. But we must continue to support progress.”
ENDS
Further information
Rachel Moore, MKC Communcations
083 838 4715
