Ørsted Acquires 160 MW Irish Solar Project ‘Garrenleen’

Ørsted has announced the acquisition of 160-MW capacity Irish solar project Garrenleen from RE conglomerate Terra Solar. It’s the second solar project of Ørsted in Ireland and will be able to power up to 56,000 households annually. This is also expected to be one of the largest solar farms in the country.

Subject to Ørsted’s final investment decision, phase 1 of 81 MW will be delivered in 2025, and phase 2 of 79 MW is expected to be completed in 2026.

The solar project is located 15 km outside the town of Carlow and it will contribute to the global goal of Ørsted of reaching 17.5 GW of onshore capacity by 2030.

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Ørsted said that solar energy is crucial to diversifying and balancing the world’s energy generation and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Irish government targets for 2030 have recently been revised upwards, with the solar target increasing to 8 GW.

TJ Hunter, Senior Director for Onshore Ireland & UK, Ørsted, said, “Once completed, the two phases for this solar project will have a combined capacity of 160 MW, making it one of the most significant solar farms in the country. It’s critical, however, that government targets are supported by robust investments in grid infrastructure capacity, predictable grid connection timelines, planning timelines, and market structures that can deliver. The industry is primed to invest and deliver energy resilience at pace, and it’s essential that the infrastructure and processes are there to support it, or we’re racing towards a roadblock.”

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The acquisition of Garreenleen brings further momentum to the investments of the RE player in the sector in Ireland. It follows the announcement of Ørsted’s first solar farm in Ireland at Ballinrea near Carrigaline in Cork.

The Ballinrea Solar Farm is due to be operational in 2025 and it will power up to 16,000 homes. Ørsted already operates 360 MW of onshore wind in Ireland, producing enough green electricity to power 230,000 homes.