Bord na Móna has warmly welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding on wind energy between Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte TD and UK Energy Minister Ed Davey MP. The company says the memorandum of understanding will unlock the huge potential of our wind farms to export directly into the British energy market.
Minister Rabbitte recently said that Bord na Móna’s development of wind energy “supportsIreland’s energy policy objectives and demonstrates the potential which the Midlands has for the development of significant renewable energy projects.”
The Bord na Móna Clean Energy project has the potential to become a significant supplier of renewable electricity beyond Irish borders, in line with Irish and UK Government policy. The agreement will underpin the development of the Bord na Móna Clean Energy hub in the Irish Midlands that will see power generated in the region directly exported into the British energy market and beyond.
Bord na Móna CEO, Gabriel D’Arcy comments: “We are very experienced in this area, with a history of investing in wind energy since the early 1990s. Four weeks ago we commenced construction of a significant wind energy project inMountLucasin Offaly. It is exactly this type of large-scale investment in energy production that will see significant and sustainable prosperity created across our nationwide landholding. Ultimately, our plans for a sustainable Bord na Móna Clean Energy Hub will drive jobs and prosperity here by generating power not just for the Irish market but also for the British energy market.“
Bord na Móna’s €115 million wind-energy project at Mount Lucas in East Offaly heralds the development of the Bord na Móna Clean Energy Hub. This initial project, one of the biggest wind farms in Ireland and Britain, will see the construction of 28 advanced technology turbines which will provide eco friendly electricity for 45,000 Irish households.
Construction of the 80 megawatt Mount Lucas project will generate over one hundred and fifty jobs and sustain a further twelve long-term jobs when it becomes operational in 2014.