Proposed solar farm for Carrigaline area now a step closer

A Danish company’s proposal for a solar farm near Carrigaline that could power 16,000 homes has been boosted by the announcement that it has secured a contract under a Government scheme to supply power to the national grid.

Ørsted, which has its Irish headquarters in Cork city, is proposing to locate a 55 mega watt (MW) solar farm in Ballinrea, between Carrigaline and Cork city.

The company has a portfolio of onshore wind farms across Ireland that produce up to 378MW of power, and its latest proposal would add 55MW. 

Ørsted has 24 advanced or operational onshore wind and solar-energy projects across Ireland, enough to power 246,000 homes.

 Ørsted also entered a partnership with the ESB in 2023 to develop an offshore wind portfolio and announced a partnership with Terra Solar to develop 400MW of solar energy.

In the auction this week for the Government’s Renewable Electricity Scheme (RESS), the fourth such event since the scheme’s inception, Ørsted secured a contract to provide solar-powered electricity at the average price of €104.76 per megawatt.

TJ Hunter, the director of Ireland and UK at Ørsted, said that the company was looking forward to “taking the project towards commercial operation as early as 2026”.

“Solar is the fastest-growing energy technology in the world and is a key focus for us here in Ireland, along with onshore and offshore wind farm projects,” said Mr Hunter. “The result increases our solar presence here, where this year also saw the commencement of construction on Garreenleen Solar Farm in Carlow, our first solar project to break ground in Ireland.

“These projects will help reduce and stabilise the cost of electricity for consumers and contribute to Ireland’s overall energy security and independence.”

Mr Hunter suggested that the Cork-based company would be further expanding its presence in Ireland. “Ørsted is committed to Ireland and has invested €700m into the country thus far. We have ambitious plans to expand our footprint here, through a mix of onshore, offshore, and solar projects.

“Ireland is on the right track, but we still have challenges around planning and grid access to continue our expansion here and invest in technology that will help us reach our national and EU climate targets.”