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SSE Renewables has announced plans to build a 100MW windfarm in the midlands that could power more than 50,000 homes annually.
Ireland’s onshore wind supply is set to be boosted with the construction of a 100MW windfarm at the Yellow River project outside Rhode, Co Offaly. SSE Renewables announced today (18 December) that it had acquired the site, which will host 29 turbines.
Preparation works have already commenced at the site, with construction expected to start late next year and an expected completion date of 2022. Around 80 construction jobs will be created during the project’s peak delivery.
SSE Renewables said that, once completed, the windfarm will be capable of generating enough renewable electricity to power more than 50,000 homes annually and offset more than 2m tonnes of carbon emissions during its 25-year lifespan.
“The acquisition of this large-scale, shovel-ready construction project further reinforces that position at a time when there is a renewed drive by Government to support the delivery of new renewable energy to meet the country’s 2030 climate action targets,” said Paul Cooley, director of capital projects at SSE Renewables.
“Yellow River windfarm will contribute towards our ambition of developing and building enough renewable energy capacity to treble annual output of renewable electricity to 30TWh by 2030.”
The company currently owns and operates 708MW of onshore wind capacity across the island with a pipeline of approximately 600MW in future onshore developments.
With offshore, SSE Renewables is currently developing the second phase of the Arklow Bank Wind Park off Co Wicklow, which can generate up to 800MW. It is also in the early stages of work on two new projects including the 800MW Braymore Point off the north-east coast and the 800MW Celtic Sea array off the south-east coast.
Other companies are also expanding their windfarm portfolio of late, with Greencoat Renewables purchasing the Killala site in Mayo for €37.2m in November, which will have a capacity of more than 20MW by the end of next year.
