Category: Tech News

Ireland’s Tech Sector is Leading One of the World’s Biggest Industries

The Irish tech sector may not get the attention it deserves when it’s compared to Silicon Valley or London, but it’s more than a match for even these two hubs in certain areas. One area where Ireland has led the way for a few years now is gaming and, specifically, casino gaming. Thanks to major players in the industry calling Ireland home, many of the casino world’s best innovations emanate from our shores.

The best example of this is Flutter Entertainment. Based in Dublin’s Belfield Office Park, Flutter is among the largest online gambling companies in the world with a value of more than €30 billion. The company made Dublin its international headquarters in February 2022. The decision was prompted, in part, by the fact it owns one of Ireland’s biggest gambling exports, Paddy Power, and its sister site, Betfair.

Merger Makes Flutter a Gambling Powerhouse

Paddy Power and Betfair merged in 2015 to create Paddy Power Betfair. Many acquisitions later, including a takeover of The Stars Group, facilitated the switch to Flutter Entertainment. Under this banner, these sites, most notably Betfair, have become places where customers can find the best casino promotions in the UK. From free spin welcome bonuses to daily cash drops, Betfair and its stablemates have become synonymous with value and entertainment.

However, as we’ve said, they’ve also become tech hubs under the Flutter Entertainment banner. Go to the live casino lobby, for example, and you’ll find branded tables overseen by human dealers. These live dealer tables not only offer classic casino games such as blackjack and roulette, but they also feature game show-style offerings like Spin A Win.

Yes, these games were designed by Playtech and Evolution Gaming. However, the branded games have been developed in collaboration with Flutter Entertainment. Moreover, Flutter has given these games a place to sit and, in turn, where they can be accessed by millions of customers. Sticking with gaming, you’ll notice that Flutter-owned casinos also have daily jackpots. These progressive prize pools are designed to drop prizes at random intervals. This innovation has since been copied by other online casinos.

Innovations in All Areas

Gaming isn’t the only area where Flutter has changed the game. For example, Paddy Power Sports pioneered one-touch live bets to reduce the time it takes customers to lock in wagers. This innovation basically removed the confirmation process, so the bet could be locked in with a single tap. Another innovation from Paddy Power was Track My Bet, a system that allows customers to monitor wagers made inside betting shops via their computer or mobile. It’s not just online gambling butone of the world’s biggest industries worth more than €100 billion where Flutter has pushed the envelope.

Its headquarters in Dublin was given a €15.5 million makeover ahead of becoming the company’s international nerve centre. As well as housing 1,700 employees, the 164,000 sq. ft building has an onsite convenience store run by artificial intelligence technology. Add to this, leisure spaces and a live roof that’s home to three beehives, and Flutter’s HQ is as innovative as the gambling products it produces. For Ireland, that’s good news. With companies such as Flutter Entertainment leading the way, the local tech sector is gaining worldwide acclaim, and rightly so.

 

Construction Tendering Tech Specialist EstimateOne Launches in the UK and Ireland

EstimateOne, a market leader in digital commercial construction tendering, announces its launch in the UK and Ireland.

Established in 2009, EstimateOne is a pioneering digital solution specifically designed to combat the obstacles faced by estimators during the tendering process. Drawing from his expertise as an estimator, Co-founder Mike Ashcroft, alongside Andrew Ritchie, built a platform that has revolutionised the engagement of main contractors and subcontractors in the construction industry.

Amidst skilled labour shortages and supply chain challenges, EstimateOne emerges as a game-changer for the UK and Irish Construction industry.

The platform, which is already well established in Australia and New Zealand, takes the complexity out of tender send-outs. For main contractors, it allows them to send requests for quotes (RFQ’s) to their established network of contacts, while also tapping into a vast public network for areas requiring additional quote coverage. Further, EstimateOne’s automated document audit trails ensure any quotes they receive are based on the most current tender documentation, ensuring accuracy and reliability.

Even better, this streamlined process works both ways. Subcontractors on EstimateOne are able to grow their business network, unlocking an array of public tenders and main contractors seeking subcontractor quotes.

With an impressive Australian and New Zealand customer base of over 50,000, EstimateOne has recognised the demand to improve the cumbersome tendering process on a global scale. The UK and Irish market with its growing appetite for digital solutions, and vibrant ConTech market, has provided the perfect Launchpad for international expansion.

  

EstimateOne Co-Founders Andrew Ritchie and Michael Ashcroft

There has been immediate uptake for EstimateOne’s services in both countries, with a number of highly-respected contractors adopting the platform, including Structure Tone, Britcon, LST Projects, JJ Rhatigan, Collen, Mercury, Conack, and King  & Moffatt.

Commenting on the platform’s efficacy, Bernard Bartley, Estimating Director at JJ Rhatigan says, “Unlike other vendors who focus on take-offs, EstimateOne is all about saving time during the tender enquiry process. We can save hours each tender breaking up trade packages in their document matrix, issuing tender enquiries, and tracking our subcontractor response.”

Chris Dobbyn, CEO at EstimateOne concludes: “We see immense potential in the UK and Irish markets and are eager to lead the industry into the next steps towards digitalisation. As a company founded by estimators, we understand the frustrations frequently encountered in the tendering process, particularly around the manual re-work required in the send-out process. EstimateOne tackles this head-on.”

“We are confident that EstimateOne will continue to bring significant benefits to contractors, subcontractors, and the overall construction ecosystem in the UK and Ireland. The next six months will also see the platform benefit from a range of new enhancements, taking away even more pain points from the Estimator’s day-to-day operations.”

To find out more about EstimateOne click here

ZHIYUN ignites a new era of dynamic, anytime-anywhere filmmaking with the ultra-portable CRANE-M 3S and WEEBILL 3S

ZHIYUN today announced the launch of the CRANE – M 3S and the WEEBILL 3S, two ultra-portable products that break new ground in the professional stabiliser market and catalyse a new era of dynamic, anytime,anywhere  visual storytelling, unconstrained by equipment weight or crew size. Each new feature on both gimbals – portability, ease-of-use, creative control and performance – has been carefully curated with the intention of liberating the creative process by simplifying the technical aspects of filmmaking for content creators.

The ZHIYUN CRANE – M 3S: portability and wider camera compatibility

ZHIYUN’s CRANE – M 3S is the successor to the popular 2022 Red Dot Product Award winning CRANE M3 and is the perfect vlogging, travel, live streaming and interview companion. The 705 g compact, portable powerhouse sports a higher load-bearing capacity with mainstream full-frame cameras and lens combos than its predecessor and can be used with mobile phones, mirrorless and action cameras. Its dimensions come in at 284.2 mm (w) x 74.5 mm (d) x 163.5 mm(h) and hits the style mark with its monochromatic looks.

Once balanced; keep on shooting 

Users can capture stunning images effortlessly thanks to its Bluetooth shutter functionality that  enables  wireless control of zoom and record with one touch – no more complicated cable connections. Furthermore, its customised two-in-one quick release with plates for each camera model, means that mainstream camera batteries can now be changed without camera assembly or disassembly. And once you have balanced the stabiliser, you won’t need to do it again. Quick installation combines with Power Delivery (PD) fast charging meaning that a full  charge takes  just two hours and a maximum battery life is up to 7.5 hours.

Stunning clarity; ultimate control

Day or night, ZHIYUN’s CRANE – M 3S boasts a tiny, yet powerful built-in bi-colour fill light no bigger than a fingernail. Powered by Lumen Amplifier technology from ZHIYUN, the modular light enables stepless/temperature adjustment and emits up to 1,000 lux brightness; colour temperature 2,700K-5,500K.

Once you have the footage, the 1.22” intuitive touchscreen features an all-new interactive UI that offers easy adjustment of functions for you to adjust and fine-tune that all-important content, effortlessly.

ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3S: Seamless professional filmmaking

Seamless filmmaking was what ZHIYUN had in mind with its launch of its WEEBILL 3S. It weighs 1,054.8 g and comes in at 305 mm (w) x 210 mm (d) x 72.5 mm (h).

With its powerful performance and compatibility with most DSLR and mirrorless cameras on the market as well as mainstream lenses, unleashing the full potential of your favoured camera has never been easier. A tenth generation of algorithms features customisable following and smooth curves based on common shooting scenarios and operating habits, providing a seamless shooting experience every step of the way with unbeatable stability and silky-smooth camera movements.

WEEBILL 3S is compatible with ZHIYUN TRANSMOUNT accessories and the ZY Play App, including: TransMount Follow Focus/Zoom Units; TransMount Image Transmission System; TransMount Transmitter/Receiver; MasterEye Visual Controller VC100 and the ZY Play App features.

Revolutionary portrait switch

An innovative system integrates the local structure on the portrait/landscape modes on the WEEBILL 3S meaning filmmakers can switch between the two modes on the quick-release module, saving time and without having to rebalance the gimbal.

Essential features for extended shooting

Improved sling structure grip for ultimate comfort

ZHIYUN has further innovated and improved the ergonomics of its pioneering  industry-first sling grip. Crafted from skin-friendly materials, its soft hand grip supports  the precise fine-tuning of the wrist angle with a knob, allowing for accurate adaptation to gimbal operating and camera movement habits and one or two handed operation. The extendable sling grip can be adjusted to a two-handed grip mode and allows for left and right tilt adjustments to the direction of the gimbal handle as well as the grip centre of gravity, making low-angle and sling mode shooting effortless.

11.5 hours of uninterrupted operation in static environments. WEEBILL 3S needs just two hours to fully charge using PD fast-charging and offers up to 11.5 hours of shooting with its two 18,650 3.7V Li-ion, 1150m Ah batteries.

1,000 Lux fill light: Like the CRANE – M3 S, WEEBILL 3S comes with Lumen Amplifier technology; the fill light delivers a powerful 1000 Lux light and dual Colour Temperature: 2,600k-5,500K CRI90+, enhancing the light and shadow texture of your shots.

Take control of your filmmaking

The Bluetooth shutter control on the WEEBILL 3S with mainstream camera models, allows for the recording button to start/stop recording or trigger photo-taking functions, to enable a seamless shooting experience.

0.96-inch bilingual (EN/CH) display screen makes perfecting shots in-situ easy. This  feature has shortcuts for motion lapse, V mode, etc meaning your preferred shooting feature is just one touch away. Creative control is further facilitated with the WEEBILL 3S’s control wheel which supports adjusting parameter, focus motor, and gimbal axes, making your perfect shots come to life.

Commenting on the new additions to its iconic WEEBILL and CRANE product ranges; Yilun Liao, CEO, ZHIYUN said:

“The WEEBILL 3S and the CRANE – M 3S with their innovative features, usher in a brand new filmmaking era. combining  ZHIYUN’s WEEBILL 3S with its MOLUS X100 and CRANE-M 3S with M40, for instance, delivers powerful professional cinematic results, and ultimate mobility to film wherever your imagination takes you. ZHIYUN is driven by the belief that filmmaking equipment can be lightweight, convenient but also produce high quality cinematic results. “

The ZHIYUN CRANE – M 3S is available from the ZHIYUN store or Amazon.  Prices are as follows: standard – £299 (gimbal, tripod); combo – £359 (gimbal, tripod, phone clamp, backpack).

The ZHIYUN WEEBILL 3S is available from the ZHIYUN store or Amazon. Prices are as follows: standard £319.00 (gimbal, tripod); combo – £439 (gimbal, tripod, backpack, sling grip, wrist rest).

DAACI Celebrates the Acquisition of Two Technology Companies with Event at Abbey Road Studios

 London, United Kingdom – Music composition system DAACI announced the acquisitions of music technology companies MXX and WiSL yesterday, with an industry event at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. The acquisitions are the latest step in DAACI’s journey to develop the ultimate creative AI ecosystem, unparalleled in its capabilities and committed to ethics in music, AI, and the creative industries at large.

The acquisitions position DAACI at the forefront of creative and ethical AI technology – focused on driving a tangible and mutually beneficial partnership between the two. DAACI is also now an organisation with a combined 60 granted patents, a further 20 patents filed, 65 team members, and a current annual revenue of £4.88million.

A select group of industry stakeholders attended Abbey Road Studios for the event in Studio Three, the room where legends including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Fela Kuti, Amy Winehouse and Stormzy have recorded. The day included demonstrations and an audience with founder and inventor Dr. Joe Lyske, whose life’s work has gone into the patents and method behind this evolution. The event also punctuated the successful completion of DAACI’s incubation with Abbey Road Red, the studios’ music tech incubation programme.

DAACI’s mission is to empower composers, music makers and creatives to unlock their creativity. A key part of this is DAACI’s effort to uphold ethics at the core of its expanding creative AI ecosystem by ensuring that the tools it builds respect copyright, trademark, rights of publicity (where they exist) and Name/Image/Likeness/Voice, put artists at the centre of the creative process, and provide transparency around the data inputs used during the creative process.

With the acquisition of these two music technology firms – MXX and WiSL – DAACI takes another leap forward in powering the content of tomorrow with dynamic music AI that creates an infinite musical palette, and empowers artists and composers to fulfil any brief and tailor each composition to fit specific experiences or occasions in gaming, digital worlds, XR, or VR experiences.

Abbey Road Red has an artist and rights-first philosophy which traverses its incubation guidance. The team advises participants exploring cutting-edge content usage that it is critically important to respect copyright and intellectual property rights and obtain all necessary authorisations and licenses from rightsholders.

Rachel Lyske, CEO of DAACI, said, “This is a milestone moment for DAACI. I’m delighted to welcome MXX and WiSL to the team. We’re forging ahead in collaboration, creating an ecosystem that integrates three decades of experience and research and bridges the gap between static and responsive music creation.

“The ultimate goal is to channel our incredibly powerful ecosystem of technology to create new paths for talented individuals to express themselves. Whether you’re an experienced professional, a budding creative or anything in between, you can benefit from the processes and creative options generated by our system. I’d like to thank Abbey Road Red, the DAACI, MXX and WiSL teams and everyone involved for their incredible hard work and commitment. I’m excited for the possibilities these acquisitions bring.”

Julian Goodkind, CEO of WiSL said, “We are delighted to be joining DAACI and their team on this exciting journey. They are at the forefront of this evolution and, together, have formed a unique and robust ecosystem which truly amplifies growth for both music makers and content creators.

“It’s vitally important to us that AI technology is adopted and utilised in an ethical way, to ensure that songwriters, artists, rights holders and industry professionals continue to be the driving force at the heart of our industry.

“WiSL remains committed to its objective of creating a marketplace for access and discovery for all music, driven by a suite of AI tools which is supported by the music and content creation industry, so that together we can create a new industry standard.”

Simon White, CEO of the TMC2 Venture Studio, who have invested in all three businesses added, “We have an exceptional track record in ground-breaking adaptive AI technologies for music and media, and are thrilled to be continuing our journey as part of the world’s ultimate creative AI ecosystem.”

To find out more: www.daaci.com

Swappie reveals its first ever premium product, the Premium Series

Swappie, Europe’s leading online destination for buying and selling refurbished iPhones, has announced today a new addition to its professionally refurbished offer: The Premium Series. As its first ever premium product, this new line closes the gap in the current market by bringing a first class refurbished smartphone experience to everyone, making it easier than ever for consumers to do the right thing for the planet.

The Premium Series, which collects devices that are cosmetically flawless, fully functional with 100% capacity battery, will be available in all countries Swappie operates in from today. The highlight of Swappie’s Premium Series is its carbon footprint which, like the other refurbished devices offered by Swappie, generates 78% less emissions than a new smartphone, meaning that from today consumers can own an even more perfect version of technology without contributing to the vast amount of e-waste generated as a result of smartphone production.

“We’ve always made it imperative to listen to our customers, and over the years with this approach and through constant improvements in our offering we’ve gotten closer to them and made refurbished electronics a little bit more mainstream. But we knew this wasn’t enough, that there was a group of consumers who would only choose refurbished if the phone had pristine aesthetic conditions or a battery with full capacity. Even guided by the wish of doing the right thing for the planet, the lack of this solution stopped them from making this choice. That’s why we’re bringing Swappie’s Premium Series to the market, because it represents a class above new which will make it easier for discerning consumers to incorporate the circular economy into their everyday lives’ comments Casper Andersen, Premium Series Lead at Swappie.

A recent survey commissioned by Swappie and conducted by market research company Kantar shed light on the reasons why some people are still buying a new smartphone over a refurbished one with over a third of consumers (34%) citing battery health, followed by the functional quality of a new phone (28%) and lack of signs of wear (20%). Swappie’s refurbished Premium Series addresses directly these concerns as it is essentially new, offering 100% capacity battery, no sign of wear, full operational capacity and, as with all Swappie iPhones sold, it comes with a 12-month Swappie warranty. Additionally,  the Premium Series produces a fraction of the e-waste traditionally associated with a new smartphone, so it is also a better choice for the planet.

Swappie CEO and co-founder Sami Marttinen said ‘We are passionate about creating a world that is more sustainable, ethical, and inclusive. Our customers sit at the heart of everything we do, and we are determined to make using our services as easy and pleasurable as possible. Swappie is in a unique position as all our refurbishment work is done in our own facilities in Europe, we own our own supply chain, and we offer benefits like warranties and returns. At every stage we can ensure best practices are maintained, guaranteeing high-quality products that are fully functional. This is vital in building long-term trust in Swappie. Smartphones don’t have an expiry date and we’re hoping that adding the Premium Series to our beloved product line will help even more consumers feel as comfortable buying a refurbished iPhone as they would a used car.’

‘The manufacture of new smartphones produces over 100 million tonnes of CO2 a year while e-waste is the fastest growing form of waste on the planet. 85-95% of the emissions connected to smartphones are released during manufacture, including the extraction of raw materials, shipping and the first year of life. Earlier this year, Brussels proposed legislation to promote consumers’ right to repair which is a step in the right direction. However, we need to go further to make sure any practices which limit independent repair through processes like serialization, restrictions on the distribution of parts and access to manuals are prohibited. Consumers should be able to seek affordable, quality repair from the provider of their choice and under no circumstances should product functionalities be degraded because repair was done outside of the network of original manufacturers. This is the only way to effectively promote repair over replacement’ commented Jori Ahvonen, CTO at Swappie

Premium Series handsets are limited in number, but the Premium grade is not limited to a specific model. Premium Series is available from today at www.swapppie.com

Red Bull Doodle Art World Finals take place in Amsterdam this weekend

The Red Bull Doodle Art World Finals take place in Amsterdam this weekend, with Dublin-based artist Vivianne Carcereri set to represent Ireland at the global competition, featuring over sixty of the fastest-rising talents from across the world.

The Italian-born artist has made Ireland her home since moving here six years ago. Carcereri, who lived in Cork for four years before moving to Dublin two years ago, will compete against the world’s best, following her victory at the Irish National Finals which took place in Tara Street Buildings last month. A panel of experts selected Carcereri’s work based on the criteria of creativity, artistic skill and the way the doodle expresses a love for life.

Red Bull Doodle Art encourages creatives to put pencil to paper, let their minds wander and get doodling. The World Finals take place from Thursday May 25th to Sunday May 28th, with all national finalists globally brought together for a three-day immersive experience in Amsterdam. Their completed artwork will be displayed in NFT format in a public gallery, where a judging panel including Canadian artist Burnt Toast (Scott Martin) and British artist Mr Doodle (Sam Cox) will select the global winner.

Speaking ahead of the World Final, Carcereri said: “I’m delighted to represent a beautiful country which has welcomed me with open arms. My art is inspired by what I like most in life, or whatever makes me feel good or smile. I’m looking forward to testing myself and learning from some of the most exciting talent in the art industry this weekend.”

Carcereri’s work will feature in a one-of-a-kind NFT collaboration between Burnt Toast and the other national final winners. The ‘Burnt Toast x Red Bull Doodle Art’ collection, which combines the artistic vision of the world-renowned creator of ‘Doodles’ and the 61 national winners, will be made available for an open-edition mint at the Nifty Gateway Marketplace on Friday May 26th at 2PM CET.

To keep up to date with Ireland’s progress at the Red Bull Doodle Art World Finals this weekend, follow @redbullire, use #RedBullDoodleArt or visit www.redbulldoodleart.com.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has awarded a University College Cork student with the first Thermo Fisher Scientific Prize in Organic Chemistry

Thermo Fisher Scientific has awarded a University College Cork student with the first Thermo Fisher Scientific Prize in Organic Chemistry. Fourth year Chemistry student Ciara Millerick was presented with the inaugural award at the Annual UCC STEM Awards ceremony which took place on the UCC campus.  

To recognise her achievement, Ciara received a €1,000 cash prize along with a commemorative plaque. Open to all students that completed third year in Chemistry throughout the 2022/23 academic year, the prize will be awarded annually to the student who passes with the highest combined mark in the Organic Chemistry modules.  

Speaking ahead of the official award ceremony UCC STEM Awards ceremony, Siobhan Creedon, Thermo Fisher’s Director of Process Development, said: “We are proud to be here today to support the next generation of young budding chemists. It’s an honour to present Ciara with the Thermo Fisher Scientific Prize in Organic Chemistry.  

“Each year we are blown away by the calibre of students that come through the School of Chemistry in UCC. Over the years we have invited many UCC Chemistry graduates to join our team in our Ringaskiddy site and we are consistently impressed by the level of excellence demonstrated. Their dedication and hard work are a testament to the quality of education and support provided by faculty members at University College Cork, and we have no doubt that they will continue to make significant contrib autions to the field of chemistry and beyond.”  

Professor Anita Maguire, Head of School of Chemistry at UCC, said: “We are truly appreciative of the support from Thermo Fisher Scientific for our students, through work placements and other interactions, and now their additional commitment with the launch of their prize. 

“On behalf of the School of Chemistry, I would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Ciara for receiving this award. Ciara was an active member of the Chemical Society and regularly assisted in the organisation of events to help spread her passion for chemistry. Ciara – we are extremely proud to count you among our students. Your success is an inspiration to all in the School and we look forward to seeing you continue to make great strides in your academic and professional pursuits.” 

Thermo Fisher currently has approximately 1,200 working across its Irish operations. The active pharmaceutical ingredient development and manufacturing site in Cork is part of its Pharma Services business and is expert in taking chemistry from laboratory scale development through to clinical and large-scale commercial manufacturing.   

Simplified Partner Service Offers Resellers A New Window Into The World Of Evolve IP

Global collaboration provider, Evolve IP, has launched a new ‘window into its world’ of integrated cloud-based communications, to make life simpler for its reselling partners. The creation of a single ‘Anywhere Portal’ is designed to provide a streamlined and more efficient route into Evolve IP’s service stack for provisioning and administration.

Evolve IP works with many of the world’s biggest tech companies and innovative industry leaders to create robust and reliable solutions for a growing reselling partner base. It specialises in securely integrating unified communications, collaboration tools, contact centre, voice, and omnichannel solutions into the cloud.

The Anywhere Portal aims to deliver enhanced levels of service and support. It is based on a new user interface which is fast and clean as well as mobile and desktop compatible.

Powerful step forward

Senior Solutions Consultant, Adrian Penny, says the new portal provides resellers with the ability to provision, manage and support their customers all from a single convenient resource.

“Anywhere Portal is a single space that houses all the solutions our customers have with Evolve IP. We want to make it as easy as possible for them to manage their customers and services. The Anywhere Portal gives them the ability to build and configure all Cisco BroadWorks services via our core telephony platform, allowing them to add customers to detailed configurations easily.”

Benefits include full Webex integration, customer password resets, multi-factor authentication, and bulk upload capabilities. In addition, comprehensive reporting and business analytics is combined with one click functionality to build multiple devices, meaning no more custom credentials.

Penny concluded: “Our previous provisioning portal was much more limited. We’ve added lots more features and functionality based on a sophisticated engine which can automate a lot of the core processes which were previously manual. It reflects our three core pillars of efficiency, automation and simplicity.

“Evolve IP is designed to advance today’s hybrid workplace and the Anywhere Portal represents another powerful step forward to help partners deliver faster, easier and quicker responses to their customers. It’s a win-win for all parties.”

Internal workshops are taking place throughout May to boost knowledge and ensure users become more familiar with the new portal.

Game changer

The launch of Anywhere Portal is being hailed as a ‘game changer’ by Nikki Hough, UC Deployment Manager at leading solutions provider, Babble.

“We can build and deploy a significant number of users easily and efficiently. This complements the industry-leading solutions that Evolve IP can provide the team and makes the Evolve IP offer more complete and compelling,” 

 He added: “Anywhere Portal also provides us with an extra level of security with two-factor authentication; which is of course a priority for any business’s service that they provide. This solution was the missing piece in Evolve IP’s offering and so it’s great to see it in place. We’re excited to explore what we can achieve with the Anywhere Portal in the future.”  

To find out more about Anywhere Portal, visit https://www.evolveip.net/en-gb/solutions/anywhere-portal

Minister Dara Calleary joins Statkraft & Microsoft to turn sod on energy provider’s latest solar project

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary TD, joined Statkraft and Microsoft to turn the sod on Harlockstown Solar – Statkraft’s latest solar project in Ireland.

The 34MW solar project in Co. Meath, which could power the equivalent of almost 9,000 homes, is one of several renewable energy projects being delivered as part of a Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) package with Microsoft which was signed last year. Under the multi-year deals, Statkraft Ireland will supply the technology firm with 366MW of clean energy from six of its wind and solar farms.

The CPPA establishes a Community Benefit Fund that will provide grants of approximately €1.3 million over the lifetime of the project to community-led clean energy and environmental justice initiatives to help create a brighter future, and make a difference in the communities that we operate in.

CPPAs enable corporations to procure renewable electricity directly from a renewable electricity generator and with these CPPAs, Microsoft is helping add additional clean energy capacity to the grid. The Government’s Climate Action Plan includes a target of 15% of electricity demand to be delivered from renewable energy CPPAs by 2030. This equates to approximately 6 terawatt hours of additional electricity generation.

Through its renewable energy contract with Statkraft and its other CPPAs announced in November 2023, Microsoft’s procurement will see the development of more than 900 MW of onshore wind and solar energy projects. The company is seeking to make a material contribution to accelerating the country’s journey to a net-zero future.

Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Dara Calleary TD, said: “Our future is both green and digital, and how we manage data will be a crucial to our decarbonisation ambitions. Renewable energy has a really important role to play in our fight to protect the planet, and I want to congratulate Statkraft and Microsoft on this important initiative. This new solar project has capacity to power the equivalent of almost 9,000 homes – Corporate PPAs have a real role to play in supporting Ireland’s renewable energy and climate targets, and I believe can be an important mechanism to support the wider system changes necessary in the electricity sector to deliver lasting benefits to households, businesses, and local communities.”

Kevin O’Donovan, Senior VP for Statkraft, said: “There is a growing understanding among the public of the importance of solar power to meet the country’s energy needs and security of supply. Every single solar panel installed means importing less polluting and costly fossil fuel while at the same time, bolstering Ireland’s future energy security.

“There is no magic formula when it comes to climate action and meeting our 2030 targets. It will require a range of rapidly deployed technologies and solutions all working in harmony to decarbonise our electricity supply. For that reason, we are delighted today to be announcing the beginning of construction on Harlockstown Solar.”

Donal O’Sullivan, VP for Development and Offshore with Statkraft Ireland, added: “Between now and the end of the decade, we are going to have to use all the tools at our disposal to make the energy transition happen. Projects like Harlockstown contribute to Ireland’s ambition of delivering 15% of new renewable volumes via CPPA while showcasing Statkraft’s experience of sourcing alternative routes to market for its renewable energy projects.”

Eoin Doherty, Microsoft’s Cloud Operations + Innovation EMEA Regional Leader, said: “At Microsoft, we’re committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030. That’s why we’re proud to be partnering with Statkraft to bring additional renewable energy on stream and help the Irish Government to achieve its climate action ambitions. The development of the solar energy project at Harlockstown is one of many projects that are coming on stream as a result of 900MWs of renewable energy contracts that we announced last year, which is a significant contribution to Ireland’s renewable energy corporate power purchase agreement target. As the country works towards achieving a more sustainable future, Microsoft will continue to partner with the energy sector and Government to accelerate the growth of renewables on the energy grid.”