Gas usage jumps in first quarter as wind share falls Data centres and transportation among the sectors in Ireland driving surge in demand for gas power Fri, 23 Apr, 2021 - 20:24 Geoff Percival Gas provided nearly 45% of Ireland’s power generation in the first quarter of the year, up nearly 5% on the same period last year as wind contribution fell by over 7%. There was high demand for gas fuel across data centres, transport, manufacturing, and the pharmaceutical sector. “Gas again highlighted its critical role in Ireland’s energy mix, meeting an 8% increase in demand from February to March as the availability of wind to generate electricity fell significantly,” said Brian Mullins, head of regulatory affairs at Gas Networks Ireland.