• Question: how much energy does ireland use every year

    Asked by rmkearney to Arlene, Colin, David, Eugene, Paul on 15 Nov 2012.
    • Photo: David McKeown

      David McKeown answered on 15 Nov 2012:

      We use 26.1 billion kWh of power each year in Ireland which is the same as leaving on one normal (60w) light bulb for 18125000 days.

    • Photo: Colin Johnston

      Colin Johnston answered on 16 Nov 2012:

      Just to put that into perspective, every square metre of Ireland ought to receive 1.4 kW of solar energy (during the day). Area of Ireland is about 84000 sq km, doing the sums, Ireland receives about 500 trillion kWh, which about 20 000 times as much as we use!

    • Photo: Paul Higgins

      Paul Higgins answered on 18 Nov 2012:

      When you think about it, it is a pity that can’t use solar power very efficiently in Ireland. But go to the west coast and you will nearly be blown over by the insane wind (good for surfing though!). Amazing that we don’t have a lot more wind farms. It has been shown that by combining wind power and hydroelectric (water power) along the west coast, Irelands energy needs could be easily satisfied.

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