Latest news with #TJHunter
RTÉ News
06-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Ørsted starts construction on second Irish solar farm
Denmark-based green energy company Ørsted has begun construction on its second Irish solar farm in Ballinrea, located between Carrigaline and Cork city. It is expected the solar farm will be fully operational in 2026 and when finished, the 55MW solar project will have the potential to generate enough electricity to power 16,000 homes. Ballinrea marks Ørsted's second solar project in Ireland after it started construction of the 81 MW first phase of Garreenleen solar farm in Co Carlow last year. Ørsted's current solar pipeline stands at over 700 MW, supporting the Government's 8 GW solar energy target by 2030. TJ Hunter, Vice President Onshore in UK & Ireland at Ørsted, said that if Ireland is to ultimately achieve a green energy future in Ireland, solar is a fundamental piece of the jigsaw. "We have a strong solar pipeline currently at over 700 MW and we will continue to look at opportunities for solar projects in Ireland to help the Government achieve its target of 8 GW of solar energy target 2030," he added. He said that 2024 marked Ørsted's biggest ever construction year with 1.5 GW of onshore renewables and 6.7 GW of offshore wind currently in construction across the globe. "While challenges remain, we are confident we are going in the right direction to create an energy system run on clean, reliable and renewable power," he added. The company has also increased its presence in Ireland, relocating to a new office space on Albert Quay in Cork city. The office is Ørsted's onshore headquarters for Europe and employs over 100 people, with the company aiming to increase that headcount in the future. Ørsted's investment in Ireland has reached €800m, across a mixed portfolio of wind and solar projects.
Irish Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Danish energy firm Orsted begins construction of Cork solar farm
Renewable energy company Orsted has started to build a 55-megawatt (MW) solar farm just outside Cork city, with the project expected to generate enough electricity for 16,000 homes. The solar farm is being built as part of a contract awarded under the State's fourth Renewable Electricity Support Scheme. The development at Ballinrea, which is between Cork city and Carrigaline, will be the Danish renewable energy company's second solar project to start construction so far. The renewable energy plant is expected to be fully operational by next year and will bring the firm's Irish investment to €800 million. READ MORE Orsted has been awarded contracts for, or is developing, solar projects that will generate 700MW in all. TJ Hunter, who is Orsted's vice-president of onshore in the UK and Ireland, said he was delighted that construction of the firm's second Irish solar farm had started. 'If we are to ultimately achieve a green energy future in Ireland, solar is a fundamental piece of the jigsaw,' he said, pointing to what he called the company's 'strong solar pipeline'. He said the Danish company would 'continue to look at opportunities for solar projects in Ireland' to help the Government achieve its target of generating 8GW of solar energy by 2030. 'While challenges remain, we are confident we are going in the right direction to create an energy system run on clean, reliable and renewable power,' Mr Hunter said. Orsted employs more than 100 people at its European onshore headquarters in Cork. The company has started work at its first solar farm in Ireland, the 81MW Garreenleen project in Co Carlow. Completion is expected next year. In March, the firm announced it had signed a landowner lease agreement with Cork-based Greenhills farm, one of Ireland's largest dairy farmers, with the goal of using the site for renewable energy generation. At the time, Mr Hunter said east Cork, in which the latest project was also located, 'has some of the country's best solar energy generating conditions' with the site being credited with 'the potential to generate enough renewable energy to power in excess of 52,000 homes'. The company is also involved in offshore wind projects in Ireland, having entered into a 50:50 partnership with the ESB in 2023 with the hopes of generating up to 5GW of offshore renewable energy. State-owned ESB said the projects were expected to compete in the Government's offshore wind auction.
Irish Examiner
05-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Ørsted begins construction on 55MW solar farm close to Cork City
Ørsted has started construction on its second Irish solar farm in Ballinrea, located between Carrigaline and Cork City. Once completed, the 55MW solar project will have the potential to generate enough electricity to power 16,000 homes. Awarded a RESS 4 contract in September 2024, it's expected the solar farm will be fully operational in 2026. Ballinrea marks the Danish renewable giant's second solar project in Ireland, following the 81MW first phase of Garreenleen Solar Farm in Carlow, which began construction last June. In solar, Ørsted's current pipeline stands at over 700 MW, supporting the Irish Government's 8 GW solar energy target by 2030. The investment in Ballinrea is the 21st advanced or operational onshore wind and solar project in Ireland, powering the equivalent of 250,000 homes nationwide. TJ Hunter, Vice President Onshore in UK & Ireland at Ørsted, said: "If we are to ultimately achieve a green energy future in Ireland, solar is a fundamental piece of the jigsaw. We have a strong solar pipeline currently at over 700 MW and we will continue to look at opportunities for solar projects in Ireland to help the government achieve its target of 8 GW of solar energy target 2030.' '2024 marked Ørsted's biggest ever construction year with 1.5 GW of onshore renewables and 6.7 GW of offshore wind currently in construction across the globe. While challenges remain, we are confident we are going in the right direction to create an energy system run on clean, reliable and renewable power'. Ørsted has also bolstered its presence in Ireland, relocating to a new office space on Albert Quay. The office is Ørsted's onshore headquarters for Europe, employing over 100 people, with the ambition of growing that number. Ørsted said its investment in Ireland has reached €800m, across a mixed portfolio of wind and solar projects.
