Ørsted Strengthens Presence in Ireland with Acquisition of Garrenleen Solar Project

Ørsted Strengthens Presence in Ireland with Acquisition of Garrenleen Solar Project

(IN BRIEF) Ørsted, a leading sustainable energy company, has acquired the 160 MW Garrenleen solar project from renewable energy developer Terra Solar. This is Ørsted’s second solar project in Ireland and reinforces its commitment to reaching 17.5 GW of onshore capacity by 2030. The solar farm will be able to power up to 56,000 homes annually, making it one of the largest in Ireland. The project is located 15 km outside the town of Carlow in the south-east of Ireland and will contribute to diversifying and balancing energy generation while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The first phase of the project is expected to be delivered in 2025, with the second phase to follow in 2026, subject to Ørsted’s final investment decision.

(PRESS RELEASE) FREDERICIA, 16-Mar-2023 — /EuropaWire/ —  Ørsted (CPH: ORSTED), a Danish leading operator of offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, and bioenergy plants as well as the world’s most sustainable energy company, announces that its has acquired Garrenleen solar project from renewable energy developer Terra Solar. The acquisition marks Ørsted’s second solar project in Ireland and reinforces its commitment to reaching 17.5 GW of onshore capacity by 2030. The 160 MW solar farm is set to power up to 56,000 homes annually, making it one of the largest solar farms in Ireland.

Ørsted plans to deliver phase 1 of the project, which amounts to 81 MW, in 2025, with phase 2 expected to be completed the following year. The solar farm is located 15 km outside the town of Carlow in the south-east of Ireland and will contribute to diversifying and balancing energy generation while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

The Irish government recently revised its targets for 2030, increasing the solar target to 8 GW to reduce gas demand and ensure security of supply. The acquisition of Garreenleen will bring further momentum to Ørsted’s investments in renewables in Ireland, following the announcement of its first solar farm in Ballinrea near Carrigaline in Cork. The Ballinrea Solar Farm is set to be operational in 2025 and power up to 16,000 homes.

TJ Hunter, Senior Director for Onshore Ireland & UK in Ørsted, said: “Ørsted is committed to multi-technology deployment, investing in a variety of renewable energy sources to ensure reliability and independence of supply. Once completed, the two phases for this solar project will have a combined capacity of 160 MW, making it one of the most significant solar farms in the country.”

He continues: “It’s critical, however, that government targets are supported by robust investments in grid infrastructure capacity, predictable grid connection timelines, planning timelines, and market structures that can deliver. The industry is primed to invest and deliver energy resilience at pace, and it’s essential that the infrastructure and processes are there to support it, or we’re racing towards a roadblock.”

Ørsted is already operating 360 MW of onshore wind in Ireland, producing enough green electricity to power 230,000 homes. The company, ranked as one of the world’s most sustainable energy companies, employs 100 people in its Irish headquarters in Cork City.

For further information, please contact:

Media Relations
Tom Christiansen
+45 99 55 60 17
tomlc@orsted.com

Investor Relations
Rasmus Keglberg Hærvig
+45 99 55 90 95
IR@orsted.com

About Ørsted 
The Ørsted vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy. Ørsted develops, constructs, and operates offshore and onshore wind farms, solar farms, energy storage facilities, renewable hydrogen and green fuels facilities, and bioenergy plants. Ørsted is recognised on the CDP Climate Change A List as a global leader on climate action and was the first energy company in the world to have its science-based net-zero emissions target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Headquartered in Denmark, Ørsted employs approx. 8,000 people. Ørsted’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (Orsted). In 2022, the group’s revenue was DKK 132.3 billion (EUR 17.8 billion).

SOURCE: Ørsted A/S