Hydropower company Statkraft and Microsoft have turned the sod on Harlockstown Solar in Co Meath, a new project which could power the equivalent of almost 9,000 homes.
It is one of several renewable energy projects being delivered as part of a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement （CPPA） package with Microsoft that was signed last year.
Under the deal, Statkraft Ireland will supply the technology firm with 366MW of clean energy from six of its wind and solar farms.
The agreement includes a community benefit fund that will provide grants of approximately €1.3 million to community-led clean energy and environmental justice initiatives.
Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation Dara Calleary attended the sod-turning event.
“Corporate PPAs have a real role to play in supporting Ireland’s renewable energy and climate targets, and I believe can be an important mechanism to support the wider system changes necessary in the electricity sector to deliver lasting benefits to households, businesses, and local communities,” Mr Calleary said.
Senior Vice President for Statkraft Kevin O’Donovan said there is a growing understanding among the public of the importance of solar power to meet the country’s energy needs and security of supply.
“Every single solar panel installed means importing less polluting and costly fossil fuel while at the same time, bolstering Ireland’s future energy security,” Mr O’Donovan said.
Microsoft’s Cloud Operations and Innovation EMEA Regional Leader Eoin Doherty said that renewable energy projects will help the Irish Government achieve its climate action targets.
“The development of the solar energy project at Harlockstown is one of many projects that are coming on stream as a result of 900MWs of renewable energy contracts that we announced last year,” Mr Doherty said.
