Ørsted Expands Irish Solar Portfolio with 400MW Capacity
In an exciting development, Ørsted has announced a new partnership with Terra Solar to expand its portfolio of Irish solar projects. Together, the two companies will develop a portfolio with a capacity of up to 400 megawatts (MW), which will produce enough electricity to meet the annual demands of 90,000 homes.
This collaboration marks Ørsted’s continued expansion into the Irish market, where the company already has a significant presence in onshore wind farms. With the addition of these new solar projects, Ørsted’s Irish solar portfolio will reach an impressive 600MW.
While the exact locations of the new solar farms are not specified, Ørsted expects all developments to be operational by 2030, pending grid route consent and a grid offer. This timeline aligns with Ireland’s ambitious targets to significantly increase its solar power capacity by the end of the decade.
The electricity generated from these solar farms will have multiple potential routes to the market. Options include the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, a government initiative that provides subsidies to renewable energy companies, as well as corporate power purchase agreements.
Ørsted, a global leader in renewable energy, develops, constructs, and operates both offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, and various other renewable projects. With 8,000 employees worldwide and revenues of nearly €18bn in 2022, Ørsted is committed to driving the transition to a greener future.
Currently, Ørsted operates 378MW of onshore wind capacity across the island of Ireland, providing electricity for over 230,000 homes. In addition to its solar projects, the company has also partnered with ESB to develop an Irish offshore wind portfolio. Ørsted’s commitment to clean energy is evident in its goal of reaching 17.5GW of onshore renewables globally by 2030.
Emphasizing the importance of solar energy, TJ Hunter, Ørsted’s senior director of operations for the UK and Ireland, stated, “Solar energy is an essential component in enabling Ireland’s power system to run entirely on green energy.” He underlined the challenges faced by the Irish power system, including amber alerts on warm summer days with low wind speeds, high electricity costs due to over-reliance on fossil fuels, and high carbon intensity in Ireland’s electricity.
By expanding solar energy alongside other renewable sources like onshore wind, offshore wind, and energy storage, Ørsted and Terra Solar aim to address these issues and reduce Ireland’s dependence on fossil fuels. The partnership between the two companies will contribute significantly to Ireland’s low-carbon future and ensure competitively priced green electricity for Irish consumers.
Andreì Fernon, a director at Terra Solar, expressed delight in working with Ørsted on these solar projects. He highlighted the positive impact of the partnership, stating, “With a combined capacity of up to 400MW, this collaboration will significantly contribute to Ireland’s low-carbon future, strengthen our indigenous energy supply, and ensure competitively priced green electricity for Irish consumers.”
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