Energia: a major Irish wind generator

An overview of energia’s market offering

A member of the Viridian Group, Energia has 300MW of operational renewable electricity capacity contracted within its energy portfolio, with a further 540MW of windfarm projects currently in development across Ireland.

Energia recently achieved financial close for its €72 million investment in 51 megawatts of electricity capacity in new wind farms at Crighshane and Church Hill in County Tyrone. The development forms part of Energia’s all-island renewable energy plans.

150MW will come from other new windfarms throughout Ireland, including developments in Derry, Donegal, Kerry, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Energia are directly involved in the development of eight new windfarm projects, and have power procurement agreements agreed with a further 22 separate developments.

In addition to this extensive number of windfarms, the company’s renewable portfolio also includes biomass, landfill gas, small scale hydro and ocean power.

The company in 2010 signed a preliminary off-take agreement to purchase the electricity generated from the pioneering Wave Energy Converter being operated by US firm Ocean Energy Systems (OES) off Bellmullet, County Mayo.

By 2012, Energia plans to be the largest independent renewable off-taker on the island of Ireland with 840MW, around 25 per cent of the Irish renewable market. It currently has longterm PPAs in place with 300MW of operating wind farms and other renewables, with a further 540MW scheduled to be operational.

Expertise

Energia has first rate expertise in all aspects of project development, project financing, and operations management and has an immediate pipeline of good quality projects. We have a good track record of building on time, and have good relationships with our project stakeholders, including local people, local authority planners, network providers, joint venture partners, operators, and of course Energia, our energy supply partner. Energia brings its utility know-how to managing its projects and operating its plant.

Windfarm development can be complex, needing careful management of landowners, connection providers and planning consents. It also needs access to finance and a solid commercial understanding. energia brings all this together.

Building sustainability

Peter Baillie, Managing Director of Energia Renewables, believes his business is proven capable of achieving project development and completion. However, if Ireland is to meet its renewable targets we need to see sensible solutions for planning extensions, greater focus and resourcing for the grid providers and contestability for distribution connections.

Renewable energy helping to protect the environment

Energia is one of Ireland’s leading lowcarbon-intensity energy suppliers. It currently has 300MW or renewable electricity capacity contracted within its energy portfolio, with a further 540MW of wind farm projects in development across Ireland.

Recently, Energia has started to take energy from a series of new wind farms in Ballymoney, Donegal, Sligo and Tipperary. Collectively these farms will supply over 30MW of new wind power to Energia’s renewable energy customers throughout Ireland. This development alone will remove 46,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere annually, providing the equivalent power of 20,000 homes.

Energia’s renewable energy portfolio eliminates over 465,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year from the Irish atmosphere – the equivalent of removing the emissions of over 200,000 cars on our roads. In this way, Energia’s operations make a very significant contribution to the carbon reduction in its electricity supply. These figures will increase significantly in the years ahead as further green projects come on stream.

In response to the massive growth in demand for green Power, Energia has signed a number of customers, including Marks & Spencer, Hibernian, Cork City Council, Bewleys, Wexford County Council, Ireland West Airport Knock and Waterford City and County Councils among their exclusively ‘green’ customers and a recent drive in Northern Ireland has seen ‘green’ customer numbers growing at a rapid rate.

For more information call the Energia lo-call helpline (NI) 0845073 0099 or (ROI) 1850 363 744