Ireland has officially bid farewell to coal as a power source, becoming the 15th European country to eliminate the fossil fuel from its energy grid. This milestone marks a major step in Ireland’s ongoing transition toward a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
At the center of this transformation is the Moneypoint power station, a sprawling coal-burning facility located in County Clare. Built in the 1980s in response to global oil shocks, Moneypoint served as a critical component of Ireland’s energy infrastructure for decades. However, with the rise of renewable energy and the global push to phase out carbon-intensive sources, the facility’s relevance had steadily diminished.
This June, Moneypoint was officially retired from participating in the wholesale electricity market, with plans to cease all operations by 2029. In the interim, the station will be repurposed to burn emergency oil reserves—an arrangement that ensures energy security in peak demand scenarios but will not be used regularly. The transition is largely symbolic but highly significant, signaling the end of an era for Ireland’s energy sector.
“Ireland has quietly rewritten its energy story, replacing toxic coal with homegrown renewable power,” said Alexandru Mustață, a campaigner with the Europe-wide coalition Beyond Fossil Fuels. “But this isn’t ‘job done’. The government’s priority now must be building a power system for a renewable future; one with the storage, flexibility, and grid infrastructure needed to run fully on clean, domestic renewable electricity.”
Renewables have already taken center stage in Ireland’s energy mix. According to Ember, a think tank focused on clean energy, wind turbines generated 11 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2023, accounting for 37% of the country’s total power generation. This impressive figure underscores the strength of Ireland’s renewable sector, particularly in wind energy, where the country has long had a competitive advantage due to its favorable geography.
Ireland now joins a growing list of European countries that have phased out coal entirely, including Belgium, Sweden, Austria, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. Spain and Slovakia are also expected to complete their coal exits by the end of 2025. In parallel, several nations—such as Cyprus, Lithuania, Latvia, Switzerland, Estonia, Norway, Malta, Albania, and Luxembourg—never used coal at the grid level to begin with.
Still, many European countries continue to rely on coal to varying extents. These include energy-heavyweights like Germany, Poland, and Italy, as well as countries in the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Some, such as Germany and Romania, have committed to phase-out coal in the coming years, while others—including Poland and Serbia—have yet to establish concrete plans.
Ireland’s shift away from coal has been facilitated by a combination of national policy, public support for green energy, and increased private sector investment in renewables. The government’s Climate Action Plan sets out ambitious targets, aiming for 80% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, with a strong emphasis on offshore wind, battery storage, and interconnectors to neighboring countries.
Industry experts stress that while Ireland’s exit from coal is a major achievement, further progress depends on significant upgrades to grid infrastructure and storage capacity. “We need to ensure the grid is ready for a high-renewables future,” said a spokesperson from EirGrid, Ireland’s state-owned electric power transmission operator. “This means not only integrating more wind and solar, but also developing smarter, more resilient systems that can adapt to fluctuations in supply and demand.”
The closure of Moneypoint also has implications for employment and regional development. The Irish government and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), which owns the site, have pledged to convert Moneypoint into a green energy hub. Plans include a floating offshore wind port and a hydrogen production facility, which could transform the region into a key player in Europe’s clean energy supply chain.
As climate concerns intensify and EU decarbonization targets loom, Ireland’s move away from coal sends a powerful message. It demonstrates that even countries with a history of fossil fuel reliance can pivot to renewables—provided there is political will, strategic investment, and a long-term vision.
In Alexandru Mustață’s words, “Ireland’s story is a hopeful one. It shows that a cleaner, coal-free future isn’t just possible—it’s already underway.”
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