Two solar developments awarded contracts in Ireland’s second Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) in 2022, have reached new milestones, with one entering construction and another newly operational.
Neoen starts construction in County Wicklow
Neoen has provided notice to proceed on the construction of the 21.7MWp Threecastles solar power station.
It is expected to come online in 2026 and will benefit from the Contracts for Difference (CfD) mechanism until 2040.
It is the second solar site to be developed by Neoen in County Wicklow, Ireland. It will join the operational Millvale solar farm which was awarded at RESS 1 and was the first ever ground mounted solar power station to connect to the grid in the Republic of Ireland.
Sheep will graze on the vegetation around the solar PV panels making up the development. This practice, agrivoltaics, will ensure vegetation maintenance and mean that farming activity can continue on the land where the Threecastles solar farm will be.
Under turnkey EPC contracts, Omexom will construct the solar PV plant, and TLI Group the onsite substation and grid connection route.
This brings the independent power producer’s (IPP’s) renewable energy capacity under construction or operational in Ireland to 210MW. This total includes eight wind plants totalling 53MW in operation.
Neoen’s Irish solar portfolio includes three operational sites totalling 58MWp. Under construction is the IPP’s largest solar development in the country, the 79MWp Ballinknockane solar project which also benefits from a CfD won in RESS 2.
In the most recent RESS auction, Neoen secured 170MWp across two solar projects: a 29MWp development in County Wicklow, and Garr Solar, a 141MWp project in County Offaly. These two projects are expected to be commissioned in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
Gaskinstown solar plant energised
Irish grid operator EirGrid has connected a 110kV Deenes Station in County Meath, a process taking place alongside the energisation of the 85MW/93MWp Gaskinstown solar PV plant.
Developed by Highfield Solar, a joint venture (JV) by ib vogt, Highfield Energy and Aura Power, the solar park was also supported by a contract secured in RESS 2. Highfield Solar also secured €65 million (£54.4 million) in debt financing for the project last year.
The financing was provided by Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A, which has worked with the JV, established in 2014, across several Irish PV projects.
