Source - reNews - Orsted bags 55MW Irish solar contract
Ørsted has successfully secured a contract for a 55MW solar project through the Irish Government’s fourth onshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS 4). The solar farm is set to be constructed in Ballinrea, a location between Carrigaline and Cork City.
In the RESS 4 auction, the average price for solar energy came in at €104.76 per MWh. This new project adds to Ørsted’s growing presence in Ireland, where the company is advancing or operating a total of 24 onshore wind and solar projects. This includes two projects that were also cleared in the 2023 RESS 3 auction.
Commenting on the achievement, TJ Hunter, Director of Ireland & UK at Ørsted, shared: “We are delighted to get approval for Ballinrea Solar Farm as part of the RESS 4 auction and we look forward to taking the project towards commercial operation as early as 2026. Solar is the fastest growing energy technology in the world and is a key focus for us here in Ireland, along with onshore and offshore wind farm projects. Stable, iterative recurring auctions are a key feature of successful energy markets. RESS 3 was challenging as it lacked clarity on price and volume, however RESS 4 gave more transparency on the price cap if not volume, and clear terms and conditions for operators, so we welcome the Government’s progress on this.”
In Ireland, Ørsted already manages a 378MW onshore wind portfolio. Additionally, in 2023, the company entered into a partnership with ESB to co-develop an Irish offshore wind portfolio and also teamed up with Terra Solar to work on 400MW of solar projects.
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