Statkraft has turned the sod on the 34MW Harlockstown Solar project in Ireland.
The site in County Meath is one of several renewable energy developments being delivered as part of a CPPA package with Microsoft which was signed last year.
Under the multi-year deals, Statkraft Ireland will supply the technology firm with 366MW of clean energy from six of its wind and solar farms.
The CPPA also establishes a Community Benefit Fund that will provide grants of approximately €1.3m over the lifetime of the project to community-led clean energy and environmental justice initiatives to help create a brighter future, and make a difference in local communities.
The Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan includes a target of 15% of electricity demand to be delivered from renewable energy CPPAs by 2030.
This equates to approximately 6 terawatt hours of additional electricity generation.
Through its renewable energy contract with Statkraft and its other CPPAs announced in November 2023, Microsoft’s procurement will see the development of more than 900MW of onshore wind and solar energy projects.
Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary, said: “Our future is both green and digital, and how we manage data will be crucial to our decarbonisation ambitions.
“Renewable energy has a really important role to play in our fight to protect the planet, and I want to congratulate Statkraft and Microsoft on this important initiative.
“This new solar project has capacity to power the equivalent of almost 9,000 homes – Corporate PPAs have a real role to play in supporting Ireland’s renewable energy and climate targets, and I believe can be an important mechanism to support the wider system changes necessary in the electricity sector to deliver lasting benefits to households, businesses, and local communities.”
Senior vice president at Statkraft Kevin O’Donovan added: “There is a growing understanding among the public of the importance of solar power to meet the country’s energy needs and security of supply.
“Every single solar panel installed means importing less polluting and costly fossil fuel while at the same time, bolstering Ireland’s future energy security.
“There is no magic formula when it comes to climate action and meeting our 2030 targets.
“It will require a range of rapidly deployed technologies and solutions all working in harmony to decarbonise our electricity supply. For that reason, we are delighted today to be announcing the beginning of construction on Harlockstown Solar.”