Orsted – Ørsted secures solar and wind renewable energy contracts under Irish RESS 3 auction

September 27, 2023
ORSTED

Ørsted has secured two contracts in the Irish Government’s third onshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS 3) auction.

 

The approved Ørsted projects were the 81 MW Garreenleen Solar Farm in Carlow, and the 43.2 MW Farranrory Onshore Wind Farm in Tipperary.

Commenting on the provisional results of the RESS 3 auction, Kieran White, Senior Vice President of Onshore in Region Europe at Ørsted, said: “With a combined output of 124 MW, these projects will assist in driving down the cost of electricity compared to fossil fuel generation and contribute to Ireland’s overall energy independence while meeting our value creation targets. We expect to deliver the projects before 2030 within the RESS 3 timelines.”  

 

A total of 24 onshore wind and solar projects, including Ørsted’s two projects, cleared in the RESS 3 auction at an average strike price of EUR 100.47 per MWh. 

Ørsted’s Irish headquarters are based in Cork City, where it employs over 100 people. Ørsted currently operates 378 MW of onshore wind across the island of Ireland, producing enough power for over 230,000 homes. Ørsted recently announced a partnership with ESB to jointly develop an Irish offshore wind portfolio and a partnership with Terra Solar to develop 400MW of solar energy.

Ranked as one of the world’s most sustainable energy companies, Ørsted has over 5.7 GW of onshore renewables in operation, under construction or consented across the United States and Europe.  
 
 

SourceORSTED

EMR Analysis

More information on Ørsted: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Mads Nipper (Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Ørsted): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Kieran White (Senior Vice President, Onshore in Region Europe, Ørsted): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services 

More information on TJ Hunter (Senior Director, Onshore Ireland & UK, Ørsted): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services 

 

More information on EirGrid: https://www.eirgridgroup.com/ + We are a state-owned company that manages and operates the transmission grid across the island of Ireland.

Our high-voltage network brings power from generators, and supplies wholesale energy to heavy users. Our grid also supplies the electricity distribution network. We are responsible for a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity: now, and in the future. We forecast when and where Ireland and Northern Ireland needs electricity: hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and year-to-year.

At EirGrid, we develop and operate the national electricity grid, so that everyone has power when and where they need it. The grid takes electricity from where it is generated and delivers it to the distribution network, operated by ESB, which powers every home, business, school, hospital, factory and farm on the island. We also supply power directly to some of Ireland’s largest energy users. We are responsible for a safe, secure and reliable supply of electricity: now, and in the future.

To do this, we forecast when and where electricity is needed across Ireland: hour-to-hour, day-to-day, and year-to-year. We work to ensure there is enough electricity for industry to prosper, and for employment to grow. Our work is essential today, as well as being a crucial investment for future generations.

More information on Mark Foley (Chief Executive Officer, Eirgrid Plc): https://www.eirgridgroup.com/about/our-leadership/ + https://ie.linkedin.com/in/markfoleyeirgrid 

More information on the Third Onshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS 3) by EirGrid: https://www.eirgridgroup.com/customer-and-industry/renewable-electricity-support-scheme/ + The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is a Government of Ireland initiative that provides support to renewable electricity projects in Ireland.

RESS is a pivotal component of Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan 2021 and is a major step in achieving Ireland’s target of at least 80% renewable electricity by 2030.

Support under RESS is allocated by way of auctions. RESS auctions will be delivered by Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) with the support of Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and EirGrid, the Transmission System Operator (TSO).

With a primary focus on cost effectiveness, the RESS delivers a broader range of policy objectives, including:

  • providing an Enabling Framework for Community Participation through the provision of pathways and supports for communities to participate in renewable energy projects
  • increasing technology diversity by broadening the renewable electricity technology mix
  • delivering an ambitious renewable electricity policy to 2030.
  • increasing energy security, energy sustainability and ensuring the cost effectiveness of energy policy

 

More information on the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), Ireland’s leading energy company: https://esb.ie  + At ESB, we have been Ireland’s foremost energy company since our establishment in 1927. We are driven to make a difference by achieving zero carbon emissions by 2040. Our commitment to providing clean, affordable and reliable energy directly supports the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals 7, 9 and 16.

We are a strong, diversified utility operating right across the electricity market: from generation, through transmission and distribution, to supply. We also work in other related sectors where we can make a difference, including telecommunications, electric vehicle charging, home retrofits and more.

ESB was established as a statutory corporation under the Electricity (Supply) Act 1927 to deliver a national electricity system. With a holding of 96.9 per cent, ESB is majority-owned by the Irish Government and the remaining 5 percent held by the trustees of an Employee Share Ownership Plan.

More information on Paddy Hayes (Chief Executive, ESB): https://esb.ie/who-we-are/esb-management-team/esb-executive-team + https://www.linkedin.com/in/paddy-hayes-0031678/ 

More information on Jim Dollard (Executive Director, Generation Trading, ESB): https://esb.ie/who-we-are/esb-management-team/esb-executive-team + https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-dollard-abab8461/ 

 

More information on Terra Solar: https://www.terrasolar.ie/ + Terra Solar was founded in 2014. Its founders previously worked at the top third-party certification bodies, specializing in photovoltaic module production and quality control. Terra Solar has a group of experienced PV experts, and provides services of procurement consulting, testing and certification, PV module quality control, etc. We are committed to assisting project developers, buyers, power plant owners in all possible ways to maintain their risk at minimum level and increase investor’s confidence and bankability. Terra Solar makes sure that our customers’​ solar asset is secured.

More information on André Fernon (Co-Founder & Director, Terra Solar): https://www.terrasolar.ie/our-team + https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-fernon-a58605b/ 

More information on David Fewer (Co-Founder & Director, Terra Solar): https://www.terrasolar.ie/our-team + https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-fernon-a58605b/ + https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fewer-511180/ 

 

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

  • Kilovolt-Amperes (kV):
    • Kilovolt or “kV” means a unit of potential difference equal to 1,000 volts. Kilovolt or “kV” means the potential difference between two points on a conductor carrying a current of one ampere when the power dissipated between the two points is one kilovolt-ampere. Kilovolt means one thousand volts (kV).
  • Kilovolt (kVA):
    • kVA stands for Kilo-volt-amperes – a term used for the rating of an electrical circuit. kVA is the product of the circuits maximum current and voltage rating. It is also known as Apparent Power.
    • kW is the unit of real power and kVA is a unit of apparent power (or real power plus re-active power). The power factor, unless it is defined and known, is therefore an approximate value (typically 0.8), and the kVA value will always be higher than the value for kW.
    • A kVA is 1,000 volt-amps. It’s what you get when you multiply the voltage (the force that moves electrons around a circuit) by the amps (electrical current).
  • Kilowatt (kW):
    • A kilowatt is simply a measure of how much power an electric appliance consumes—it’s 1,000 watts to be exact. You can quickly convert watts (W) to kilowatts (kW) by diving your wattage by 1,000: 1,000W 1,000 = 1 kW.
  • Megawatt (MW):
    • One megawatt equals one million watts or 1,000 kilowatts, roughly enough electricity for the instantaneous demand of 750 homes at once.
  • Gigawatt (GW):
    • A gigawatt (GW) is a unit of power, and it is equal to one billion watts.
    • According to the Department of Energy, generating one GW of power takes over three million solar panels or 310 utility-scale wind turbines