 The Republic of Ireland has shown a strong commitment to renewable energy , ranking as one of the top 10 markets for <unk> investment in the 2014 Global Green Economy Index . Research and development in Ireland in renewable energy such as wind power has increased since 2004 . Large wind farms are being constructed in coastal counties such as Cork , Donegal , Mayo and Antrim . The construction of wind farms has in some cases been delayed by opposition from local communities , some of whom overall consider the wind turbines to be <unk> . The Republic of Ireland is also hindered by an ageing network that was not designed to handle the varying availability of power that comes from wind farms . The <unk> 's <unk> Hill facility is the only power @-@ storage facility in the state . 
