Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy acquires five Irish solar farms

Statkraft, Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, has today announced the acquisition of five Irish solar farm developments

Stephen Robb

9 September 2020

Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy acquires five Irish solar farms

The five solar farms are located in in counties Meath, Laois, Tipperary and Cork.

Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, Statkraft, has today announced the acquisition of five fully permitted solar projects.The five solar farms are located in in counties Meath, Laois, Tipperary and Cork and have a combined total capacity of 275 megawatt (MW).

Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy, Statkraft, has today announced the acquisition of five fully permitted solar projects.

The five solar farms are located in in counties Meath, Laois, Tipperary and Cork and have a combined total capacity of 275 megawatt (MW).

These acquisitions are the latest in a series of transactions which Statkraft Ireland has made in the renewable energy sector since 2018.

RESS

Last month saw the first competitive Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction held in Ireland where prospective generators of renewable electricity bid for financial support.

Speaking on the acquisition, Statkraft Ireland managing director Kevin O’Donovan said: “One of the projects which we have acquired from Lightsource, namely Blundelstown in Meath, was actually successful just last month in RESS-1. The outcome of that particular auction was hugely encouraging and has given us at Statkraft, the platform we need to increase the rollout of green energy projects in Ireland.

“We are already quite advanced in developing the construction programme to deliver these RESS-1 projects,” Kevin continued.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney shares his vision of the Irish renewable sector with Statkraft Ireland managing director Kevin O’Donovan at the company’s Irish headquarters in Cork

Through the auction, Statkraft secured contracts for over 330MW of renewable power including two wind projects (57MW) and two solar projects (276MWp).

Statkraft

Statkraft entered the Irish market two years ago and employ 55 people here out of a global workforce of over 4,000.

The company has developed a portfolio of renewable energy projects in Ireland including onshore and offshore wind energy, battery storage and solar energy.

The company’s global ambition is to increase its portfolio of wind power to 6,000MW and solar power to 2,000MW by 2025. This includes a pipeline of projects in Ireland and the UK.

Colm McCarthy: new electricity systems cannot all be renewable

365ac solar farm planned for Meath