Bord Gáis Energy has announced it has agreed a PPA with Obton powered by Shannon Energy to develop 11 solar farms that will be constructed here over the next two years.
These 118MW facilities will be among the first phase of utility scale solar production in Ireland and will add to Bord Gáis Energy’s increasing sources of renewable supply being made available to their customers.
Under the PPA Bord Gáis Energy will manage and offtake the electricity produced from these facilities and include them as part of their supply portfolio to their customers.
Obton powered by Shannon Energy is a joint venture between Obton, a Danish solar photovoltaic (PV) business, and its Irish partner Shannon Energy.
The Danish-Irish partnership recently confirmed that it plans to double its investment in the Irish solar energy market, as it plans to expand their portfolio and solar energy products here to reach a total capacity of 1GW by 2026.
This will see the total value of its portfolio and projects here reach an investment of €750m in the sector.
The 11 solar farms which Bord Gáis Energy will manage for Obton powered by Shannon Energy were submitted in the first round of the Irish Government’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).
They were subsequently awarded the contracts for all 11.
Bord Gáis Energy managing director Dave Kirwan said: “At Bord Gáis Energy we intend to take the lead in helping Irish energy customers transition affordably to a lower carbon future.
“Earlier this month we launched Ireland’s first dual fuel green energy plans for our customers, and we are now delighted to be partnering with Obton on the first phase of their solar projects in Ireland.
“This will not only increase the amount of renewable energy supply we can offer our customers over the next 15 years but will also directly support the decarbonisation of the electricity system making Ireland greener.”
The solar farms are located in eight counties throughout Ireland, and will include sites in Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Longford, Galway, Offaly, Meath and Tipperary.
The production from these facilities will be sufficient to power approximately 20,000 homes.
This will be in addition to Bord Gáis Energy’s current renewable supply portfolio which is in excess of 220MW (wind production), enough to power to circa. 73,000 homes.
Bord Gáis Energy will be the only energy provider partnering with Obton powered by Shannon Energy on this project, which is the renewable energy firm’s first construction of Irish solar farms.