Planning permission granted for Ballinagree Wind Farm

Ørsted and FuturEnergy Ireland have been granted planning permission for Ballinagree Wind Farm, located between Millstreet and Macroom in Co. Cork.

The development will consist of 16 wind turbines of up to 185 metres in height and is expected to deliver up to 112 MW of renewable energy, which is the equivalent of powering approximately 73,000 homes annually. Over the lifetime of this project, 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 are expected to be offset compared with traditional electricity generation.

Subject to the delivery of a grid connection and final investment approval, Ballinagree Wind Farm could be operational by 2030, thereby potentially making a significant contribution to Ireland’s target of generating 80% of electricity from renewables by 2030.

The development project is a 50:50 joint venture between FuturEnergy Ireland, a Coillte-ESB joint venture, and Danish developer Ørsted. The next step will be applying to EirGrid for a grid connection.

Leaders of Sustainability

Commenting on the news, Mary Lynch, Portfolio Director at FuturEnergy Ireland, said, “The FuturEnergy Ireland team welcomes the planning grant received for Ballinagree Wind Farm, which deepens our commitment to delivering renewable energy to Ireland and driving meaningful progress towards our climate action targets in collaboration with our co-development partner Ørsted.”

“This supply of locally produced green energy will bring long-term benefits to the local community, including the establishment of a community benefit fund of up to €600,000 per annum for the first 15 years of operation. Together with Ørsted, we look forward to delivering this project, which will contribute towards a greener, more energy resilient future for all,” said Lynch.

TJ Hunter, Senior Director, Development & Operations in the UK & Ireland at Ørsted added, “This is an exciting moment for us in the development of Ballinagree Wind Farm. This is a significant investment for us and our JV partners FuturEnergy Ireland and adds to our portfolio of 21 wind farms already in operation. Cork is a thriving hub for renewables, and we are committed to playing a role in continuing to see growth in that regard.”

Hunter continued, “Along with Ballinagree, we are working on our solar farm Ballinrea, located between Carrigaline and Cork City, as well as Coom Green Energy Park near Bottlehill. It’s hugely encouraging to see this all progressing just a stone’s throw from our offices, powering Cork City and County with indigenous, green electricity.”

Ørsted and FuturEnergy Ireland will continue to keep the local community informed as the project progresses through the next stages.

About FuturEnergy Ireland

FuturEnergy Ireland is a leading Irish wind developer established in 2021 as a stand-alone joint venture between Coillte and the ESB. The company was formed to maximise the potential of Ireland’s unique wind and land resources and accelerate Ireland’s transformation to a low-carbon energy economy. ?FuturEnergy Ireland is targeting the delivery of 1 GW of renewable energy by 2030 through the development of high-quality onshore wind projects supported by battery energy storage projects. These projects would power an estimated 730,000 homes annually, make a significant contribution to Ireland’s commitment to produce 80% of electricity from renewable sources by the end of this decade and deliver material emissions reductions.

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 in 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)