Irish multinational food and beverage producer Valeo Foods has struck a deal to buy renewable electricity from the Cronalaght Wind Farm in Gweedore, Co Donegal.

The new corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA), managed through Flogas Enterprise, will see a proportion of the company's operations powered by Irish renewable electricity.

Valeo Foods employs approximately 600 people at seven sites across the island of Ireland.

The company owns a significant portfolio of brands, including Jacob’s, Batchelors, Odlums, Kelkin, Robert Roberts, Chef, Shamrock, Erin, Roma and Fruitfield.

Its international portfolio includes brands such as Rowse, Balconi, Barratt, Kettle, Fox’s and Poppets.

Since the company's formation in 2010, Valeo Foods has completed 18 targeted acquisitions across the UK, Ireland and continental Europe.

Repowering

The Cronalaght Windfarm consists of 13 turbines on the Cronalaght Mountain, Donegal. The original eight were installed from 1997 to 2000 and five larger turbines were installed in 2019.

The original wind farm was one of the first in Donegal and was the brainchild of local man, the late John Gillespie from Crolly, who had spent the early part of his career working in the ESB.

In 2021, developers announced plans to repower part of the wind farm. The repowering involved replacing the original eight turbines with three larger modern turbines, increasing the capacity from five megawatts to up to 18 megawatts.

Repowering of older sites such as the Cronalaght Windfarm is becoming increasingly common due to turbines coming towards their end of operational life, advancements in turbine technology, increasing demand for renewables and strengthened electricity grids.