Bord na Móna - Source Issue 12 - (Page 12)

WITH THE CAPACITY TO CREATE EXPORT REVENUES OF €1 BILLION PER YEAR FOR THE COMPANY, THE CLEAN ENERGY HUB MARKS AN EXCITING DEPARTURE FOR BORD NA MÓNA Bord na Móna CEO Gabriel D'Arcy and Chairman John Horgan at the Clean Energy Hub launch. CLEAN ENERGY HUB TAKES OFF B ord na Móna has officially launched the Clean Energy Hub. This refers to the company's planned approach to building a number of linked wind farms located on or around cutaway peatlands that are coming out of peat production in the east midlands. The new green energy project will generate some 2GW of electricity when fully operational and will create export revenues of €1 billion per year for the company. "Wind farms are innovative and profitable ways of continuing our mandate to extract maximum economic and social value from the lands we hold in trust for the benefit of all the people of Ireland," said Bord na Móna Chairman John Horgan. Recognising a European need for clean energy and the potential export opportunity, Bord na Móna assessed which parts of its lands would be best suited to such a development. The review concluded that the company's substantial resource in the east midlands could be central in developing a compact and efficient renewable energy export project. This electricity hub could then be linked to new cables developed to carry renewable power to the UK and European markets, to the existing Irish electricity network, or to both. 12 | Source Winter 2013 "I have been working hard with my colleagues in the British government to develop a framework to allow for exports of green energy to Britain and beyond," said Pat Rabbitte TD, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, at the launch. "We can see here today that cutaway bog far away from concentrations of people can be a suitable location for wind power generation. I am very pleased that a state company like Bord na Móna is capitalising on its assets and its expertise to deliver this project." EXPERIENCE Bord na Móna has been active in wind energy for many years. It built the first wind farm in Ireland in 1992 and has been involved in the wind energy industry ever since. "Bord na Móna is already successfully involved in the development of wind energy," said Chairman John Horgan. "Twenty one years ago, Ireland and Bord na Móna's first wind farm at Bellacorick in Mayo commenced generation and is still operating strongly and profitably. In the last 12 months, we have embarked on the company's largest single investment in a wind farm at Mount Lucas, while also marking the construction in Bruckana. That we have managed to develop these projects without significant objection along the way is testament to the company's reputation in the wider community." Following the launch, there was a series of engagements with local communities across the midlands. Public information sessions in halls in Allenwood, Daingean, Clonbullogue and Rhode were extremely well attended by local people looking to find out more about the project and who also wanted to raise any questions or issues they may have. A special word of thanks must go to the many Bord na Móna employees who spent time at the sessions engaging with the many attendees. BENEFITS The development of the Clean Energy Hub project will have measurable benefits for the local economy. It is estimated that 3,000 to 4,000 jobs will be created at peak construction (depending on the phasing). An additional 600 associated jobs (approx.) will be generated in the supply of goods and services in the region. Up to 200 long-term, high quality, technical jobs in operations and maintenance will be created and there will be significantly increased investment in local services, roads and infrastructure.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Bord na Móna - Source Issue 12

Bord Na MóNa - Source Issue 12
Contents
News
Brown Gold
A Bright Future Beckons
Clean Energy Hub
A Good Year
Game On!
Sales Force
Project Update
Heritage Corner
Nationwide

Bord na Móna - Source Issue 12

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