Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Bord na Móna, through a joint venture, to power 150,000 homes with solar power through four plants in Ireland.

These four projects shall be located in the counties of Roscommon, Offaly and Kildare. The joint venture will also have access to part of a land bank of Bord na Móna across strategic locations in the Midlands.

These land banks are considered to be suited for large scale solar energy projects and will leverage the two companies’ expertise in renewable energy.

These renewable projects are being encouraged by the Government of Ireland, which now believes that renewable energy should be more diversified. For quite some time now, wind has been the predominant source of renewable energy.

Now, the Government is encouraging to include a wide range of renewable energy sources including solar, biomass, wave and tidal energies.

With the four projects, the joint venture is aimed at adding to Ireland’s carbon reduction targets for 2020 and to support the Government in its clean energy policy.

ESB CEO Pat O’Doherty said: “In ESB, we are committed to a future where low carbon electricity powers a low carbon society. We have already an established position in the solar market in Ireland, with both ground mounted and rooftop solar projects under development. 

“ESB’s deep relationship with Bord na Móna in the Midlands spans decades. This new partnership – with the potential to power 150,000 homes and businesses – reinforces our confidence in solar to help Ireland meet its carbon reduction targets beyond 2020.”

Bord na Móna CEO Mike Quinn said: “Community consultation will be placed at the heart of the project. From our long history of working together in communities right across Ireland, Bord na Móna and ESB bring considerable expertise and knowledge in delivering best in class community engagement around our projects, ensuring a clear commitment to open and transparent engagement with households adjacent to any proposed development.

“The solar industry, although in its infancy here in Ireland, has the potential to form an important part of Ireland’s future energy mix in the medium to long term. To that end, ESB and Bord na Mona believe in collaborating on, and investing in, the development of this clean and efficient energy source.”

Image: ESB and Bord na Móna form joint venture to install solar plants in Ireland. Photo: Courtesy of RK008/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.