Tag: Offaly

SSE acquires 120MW/240MWh battery storage project in County Offaly

SSE has acquired the project development rights for a 120MW/240MWh grid-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) project in County Offaly from UK-based renewable energy company Low Carbon which, if approved for final delivery, could be constructed and operational by the end of decade.

The purchase marks another step forward for SSE Renewables, the renewable energy business of FTSE-listed SSE plc, as it continues to grow its battery storage development portfolio on the island of Ireland.

Under the deal SSE Renewables has acquired the consented Thornsberry BESS project from Grid Systems Services Limited, a developer of grid-scale battery storage projects in Ireland owned by Low Carbon.

Thornsberry is on a secured greenfield site in the townlands of Derrynagall and Ballydaly near Tullamore with planning consent for a grid-scale BESS. It has a grid connection offer to connect 120MW of import/export capacity to Ireland’s national grid via an adjacent existing 110kV substation.

The proposed battery system would be capable of storing up to 240MWh of energy for flexible dispatch at times of peak demand. When called upon, Thornsberry would be capable of providing back-up energy to the equivalent of over 115,000 Irish homes for up to two hours at a time*, while also delivering essential balancing services to Ireland’s energy system.

Subject to a final investment decision by SSE Renewables, the project could enter construction and be operational by the end of the decade. The project would be expected to provide a boost to the supply chain and job creation in County Offaly and the wider Midlands during delivery. It would also support the delivery of local authority essential services in Offaly through the payment of development contributions and commercial rates.

The addition of the Thornsberry project grows the company’s secured battery pipeline in Ireland to 300MW, as part of a wider 1.8GW pipeline across the Ireland and the UK.

Heather Donald, Director of Onshore Wind, Solar and Battery – UK and Ireland, SSE Renewables, said: “Acquiring the consented Thornsberry project in County Offaly is another great step forward in our plans to grow SSE Renewables’ battery storage development portfolio in Ireland. The addition of this grid-scale project can make an important contribution to the delivery of SSE’s fully funded five-year Net Zero Acceleration Programme, while also advancing the diversity of the technologies in our portfolio.

“The Midlands has a long and proud tradition of supporting Ireland’s energy security. With the development of new onshore wind, solar and battery projects such as Thornsberry, the region can continue to play a significant role in delivering homegrown energy for Irish consumers while decarbonising the country’s power system. In doing so, we can help ensure vital energy projects can deliver positive social and economic benefits to County Offaly and the wider Midlands.”

Low Carbon, who began developing the project in 2018, were one of the first movers to develop, build and operate battery storage and solar in the Irish renewables market having provided approximately 20% of the country’s operational storage capacity.

Located near Tullamore in County Offaly, the Thornsberry project is on a secured greenfield site with planning consent for an installed capacity of 120 MW and a grid connection offer to connect to the Irish national grid via an existing 110kV substation. Once built, the project could power more than 115,000 homes for up to two hours at times of peak demand, underlining the key role battery storage is playing in unlocking the path to net zero.

It follows Low Carbon’s recent announcement on a 6 GW Dutch battery storage portfolio, underscoring their market leading position of developing battery storage assets which are essential for advancing global decarbonisation efforts and grid stability as demand for electricity grows.

Founder and Chief Executive of Low Carbon, Roy Bedlow, said: 

“We are delighted to collaborate with SSE on this project, which underscores Low Carbon’s leading position in the Irish storage market. Furthermore, this announcement demonstrates our expertise of delivering high-quality investable assets to the market, meanwhile playing an important role in supporting our future growth as we aim to build 20 GW of new renewable energy.

Offaly in the Irish Midlands ready to rival Europe’s key cities as green data centre hub

Offaly in the Midlands of Ireland is well-placed to become a new global hub for data centres with the potential to create thousands of green jobs, according to a new report by technology company Siemens.

The study, commissioned by Offaly County Council, explores how Offaly in the Irish Midlands region could rival Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris in being an anchor for data centres powered by renewable energy.

Siemens outlined that data centre operators will consider the region, because of the simple access to reliable, renewable energy, the abundance of land for development, the moderate climate and strong supply of talent. Sites such as Rhode Green Energy Park in Offaly have been identified as potential opportunities for data centres.

The business says that the continued growth of Europe’s data centre capitals is becoming increasingly impacted by costs and concerns about energy. Power grid constraints in Dublin, for example, which is home to the majority of Ireland’s 75 data centres may take up to 10 years to resolve. However, the spread of data centres in the remainder of Ireland is currently limited.

Joe Walsh, General Manager at Siemens Ireland, said: “The data centre industry is looking for new locations away from its traditional hubs and the Midlands of Ireland has huge potential.

“Through local investment to provide the right level of connectivity, and through collaboration in the industry’s supply chain, the region can provide the reliable, low-carbon sources of power generation required for data centre operators to meet their sustainability targets.

“This has the potential to create thousands of jobs, generate millions of Euros of investment to the region, all based on clean, green power, and catalyse Ireland’s transition to net zero.”

The Council aims for the report to help attract a data centre anchor tenant in the vicinity of Offaly’s Rhode Green Energy Park, which would be the first step in creating a thriving data centre sector. A large facility will typically create 250 permanent and 1,200 temporary jobs during construction and act as a catalyst for investment, according to the report.

Data centres could be, in part, powered by wind, solar or even green hydrogen from renewable sources, and any waste heat that is generated could be used to heat local homes, businesses, local industry and community buildings, according to the study. There are also opportunities for data centres to anchor investment by being lead tenants of eco-industrial parks alongside green energy enterprises.

Anna-Marie Delaney, Chief Executive of Offaly County Council, said: “It’s clear there is significant potential to create a new data centre cluster here in the Irish Midlands.

“This report provides us with the foundations we need to attract operators from across the globe, deliver a business case to invest in our local infrastructure and create a more sustainable economy.

“I’m looking forward to working with our partners to investigate how we can make this a reality to create high-value jobs for local people and attract new local investment.“

The study was co-funded by the EU Just Transition Fund and North Offaly Development Fund (NODF). The North Offaly Development Fund is a community group with Rhode Green Energy Park as its flagship project.

Eugene Mulligan, Chair of NODF, said: “This report provides us with key insights and a strong evident based roadmap supporting economic diversification way from peat through green energy enterprise, leveraging the many emerging renewable energy projects emerging in Offaly.”

Researchers from Siemens interviewed leaders from the data centre sector, renewable energy infrastructure developers and government bodies to inform the report.

It lays out an action plan to attract investors, including promoting Offaly and the Midlands as ‘open for data centre business’ with regional strengths such as local renewable power sources that support increased sustainability.

For more information, visit: https://new.siemens.com/global/en/company/topic-areas/smart-infrastructure.html