Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore will introduce a landmark Bill this week aimed at reducing renewable energy wastage by making surplus electricity available to struggling households at no cost.
Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on energy, said:
“Last year, more than half a billion euros in renewable energy was wasted. This is scandalous when you consider there are now almost 320,000 electricity accounts in arrears, with customers in Ireland saddled with the highest energy bills in Europe.
“The purpose of my Prevention of Energy Wastage Bill 2026 is to amend the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 to provide a statutory basis for the utilisation of renewable electricity that would be otherwise wasted due to electricity system curtailment or constraint.
“Curtailment is what happens when a wind or solar farm is told to reduce its output because the system cannot safely absorb all the power that is available. Constraint is when there is a localised network limitation, and the power lines cannot handle the load.
“In both cases, there is capacity to generate energy, but that opportunity is being wasted. Around 10 per cent of available renewable electricity could not be used last year due to grid constraints and curtailment – the highest rate since records began in 2016. Solar curtailment in Ireland increased more than fourfold between 2024 and 2025.
“If nothing is done, curtailment could reach 50 per cent by 2030, which would double the marginal cost of generating electricity.
“This Bill seeks to ensure that otherwise wasted electricity is made available to electricity customers at no cost. This would further our national climate objectives, carbon budgets and the principle of just transition, while also contributing to the reduction of energy poverty.
“The frequency and cost of renewable electricity wastage is increasing and is projected to continue to rise over the next number of years, despite ongoing grid investment. This is due to the pace of renewable deployment relative to system capacity.
“EnergyCloud, an Irish charity, has published work examining the scale of surplus electricity on the grid. It has proposed mechanisms through which otherwise wasted renewable energy could be redirected toward affordability, community use and reduction of electricity wastage – something that is included in the Programme for Government. Similar schemes are already in place in Germany and are being implemented in the United Kingdom.
“There is currently no statutory mechanism linking renewable electricity surplus to energy affordability or energy poverty objectives, despite our climate obligations and just transition commitments. This Bill addresses that gap by enabling the use of energy that would otherwise be wasted, prioritising vulnerable households and community‑led projects, and ensuring that system inefficiencies are addressed through utilisation rather than compensation alone.
“The legislation would also help us meet our climate action targets. Over half of Ireland’s energy use relies on oil – all of it imported – ranking us the fifth highest user in the EU. By contrast, renewables saved Irish households and businesses €1.5 billion in electricity costs in 2025.”
June 30, 2026