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
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