A new record for the wind power industry was reached a couple of weeks ago when on Friday, July 31, output from Ireland's wind turbines peaked at 999 megawatts - generating enough power to supply more than 650,000 homes. This represents 39 percent of the country's demand for electricity.

Today, Ireland has 139 active wind farms, with another 20 megawatt wind farm currently under construction in Tyrone county. That wind farm was actually sold last February to Irish electricity company, ESB. When completed, eight Nordex 2.5 megawatt wind turbines will generate enough power to supply 11,200 homes annually. ESB actually has plans to build its wind portfolio to 600 megawatts by 2012.

Ireland now boasts a cumulative installed wind power capacity of 121,013 megawatts. And 2020 projections put the country's total installed capacity at 590,915 megawatts!

Jeff