With the closure of the Moneypoint thermal power plant on June 20, 2025, Ireland has officially ended electricity production from coal, joining the group of 15 European countries that have completely removed coal from their energy mix.
This historic step, according to the Beyond Fossil Fuels organization, was made possible thanks to the impressive growth of renewable energy sources in Ireland. At the turn of the millennium, wind energy accounted for just one percent of electricity production, whereas today it supplies more than one-third of total consumption, enabling the complete elimination of coal.
Ireland has quietly rewritten its energy story, replacing toxic coal with clean, domestic renewable energy. But the work isn’t done yet. The next task is to build a modern power system – flexible, resilient, and ready to store energy from renewable sources, said Alexandru Mustață, coal and gas campaigner at Beyond Fossil Fuels.
Although Moneypoint TPP will retain a limited reserve role until 2029, using heavy fuel oil in emergency situations under the instruction of the Irish transmission system operator, its market exit marks a decisive turn toward Ireland’s fossil-free energy future.
“The government must ensure this reserve role is reduced to an absolute minimum and ultimately phased out entirely. At the same time, it is essential to halt the further expansion of energy-intensive data centers that increasingly tie us to polluting and expensive fossil gas”, warned Jerry MacEvilly, campaign director at Friends of the Earth Ireland.
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MacEvilly added that the Irish government plans to build new gas-fired power plants with a total capacity of 2 GW – but without a clear strategy for reducing dependence on fossil gas.
“Now is the time to make it clear that a zero-carbon power system – backed by battery storage development, enhanced energy efficiency, and strong reliance on renewables – is key to Ireland’s climate and security goals”, he emphasized.
The closure of Moneypoint marks the beginning of a summer of major changes in Europe, as both Spain and Italy are preparing to shut down their last mainland coal power plants in the coming months. With the exception of the Balearic Islands and Sardinia, they too will join the coal-free club.
Europe now counts 15 countries that have eliminated coal from their energy mix, with another 10 committed to phasing it out by 2030.
Energy portal
