Ireland Launches National LEAP Strategy to Align Data Center Growth with Renewable Energy Goals

Ireland Launches National LEAP Strategy to Align Data Center Growth with Renewable Energy Goals January 14, 2026 The Irish government has approved a landmark national framework designed to reconcile the country's ambition as a leading European data center hub with its legally binding climate targets. The move addresses a critical tension in Ireland's digital economy, where data centers accounted for 22 percent of national metered electricity consumption in 2024, placing significant strain on the grid even amidst a de facto moratorium on new builds in the Dublin area. The newly published Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP), developed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and approved by the cabinet, shifts policy from ad-hoc, site-by-site assessments to a structured national approach. Its core objective is to enable "Ireland to attract the next generation of investment in energy-intensive sectors, such as life sciences, semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and data centers," while preventing excessive pressure on the electrical system. A central pillar of the plan is the creation of designated "Green Energy Parks." These parks will see large energy users, including data centers, colocated with new renewable generation and supporting grid infrastructure. The sites, expected to be developed post-2030 and scaled at hundreds of megawatts of capacity, will be strategically located in areas with excess renewable potential, aligning with national planning and network development. The government states it will prioritize connections that support investment in renewables, effective grid utilization, and economic development. The plan acknowledges that near-term grid constraints will persist. It follows the recent partial lifting of the Dublin moratorium by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU), which now permits new data centers only if they can meet at least 80 percent of their annual demand with additional, Irish-generated renewable electricity. The LEAP reinforces this principle, stating its intent to facilitate data center operations that "play a proactive and positive role in our energy system, its long-term security, and its transition to renewable electricity." Reaction to the strategy has been mixed. While government officials laud its potential for integrating renewables, opposition voices express concern. Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore criticized the approach, stating, "The production of renewable energy sources should be prioritised for residents and small businesses – approving new data centers only means that we continue to chase our tail in terms of climate goals and energy demand." The plan also mandates improved electricity system planning, including better forecasting of large energy demand and closer alignment between industrial development and grid investment, signaling a more coordinated long-term strategy for Ireland's energy and digital infrastructure. Source: datacenterdynamics