Orsted has announced the development of a 400MW portfolio of Irish solar projects in a partnership with Irish renewable energy developer Terra Solar.
The sites have the potential to power over 90,000 Irish homes.
This latest partnership brings further momentum to Orsted’s solar pipeline in Ireland which now totals over 600MW said the company. Subject to grid route consent and a grid offer, the new projects are targeted for completion in advance of 2030, in line with the Irish government’s 8GW Climate Action Plan solar energy target.
The renewable electricity produced by the solar farm portfolio has several potential routes to market including future RESS auctions and corporate PPAs.
The Irish investment follows Orsted’s entry into the UK solar market announced only last week with the development of a proposed 740MW solar farm and associated battery storage in Nottinghamshire.
“We are delighted to extend our existing collaboration with Terra Solar on the development of these projects which will contribute to Orsted’s global goal of 17.5GW of onshore renewables by 2030,” said senior director, development & operations in UK & Ireland at Orsted TJ Hunter.
“Solar energy is an essential component for enabling the Irish power system to run entirely on green energy.
Ireland has seen several amber alerts on warm summer days with low wind speeds, the cost of electricity is too high due to over-reliance on fossil fuels, and the carbon intensity of Ireland’s electricity is among the highest in Europe.
“To solve these issues and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, we need to grow solar energy in parallel with onshore wind, offshore wind, and energy storage,” he added.
Director at Terra Solar André Fernon added: “Terra Solar is delighted to be working in partnership with Orsted on the development of the solar projects announced today.
“With a combined capacity of up to 400MW, this partnership will contribute significantly to Ireland’s low-carbon future, strengthen our indigenous energy supply, and ensure competitively priced green electricity for Irish consumers.”