Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien has officially opened BnM’s 126MW Derrinlough Wind Farm in Offaly.
The project represents an investment of over €150 million and includes a corporate power purchase agreement with Amazon, BnM said.
The wind farm comprises 21 V150-6.0MW turbines located on Clongawny and Drinagh bogs, BnM added.
A €12 million community benefit fund has been established to support local projects, near neighbour electricity bill contributions and third-level scholarships.
An initial €467,000 has been committed to 22 community projects, seven scholarships and near neighbour supports.
BnM has also developed over 24 kilometres of amenity access at the site, including walking and cycling trails, three entry points and a sensory garden.
“Derrinlough Wind Farm represents an important addition to Ireland’s renewable energy infrastructure and supports our ambition to significantly increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources.” said Darragh O’Brien, minister for climate, energy and the environment.
“Projects of this scale play a vital role in helping Ireland meet its climate targets while strengthening the resilience and sustainability of our energy system.”
“The opening of Derrinlough Wind Farm marks another important milestone in the delivery of BnM’s renewable energy pipeline, which includes over 5GW of wind, solar and other renewable energy projects currently in development.” said Tom Donnellan, chief executive of BnM.
“As we continue to scale our renewable energy portfolio, projects like Derrinlough will play an important role in supporting Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon energy system.”
“Expanding renewable energy generation is essential to supporting Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon energy system and achieving its climate targets.” said Niamh Gallagher, Amazon Web Services country lead, Ireland.
“Projects like Derrinlough Wind Farm show how investment can increase the availability of locally generated carbon-free electricity on the grid while supporting greater energy security.”