After announcing this week that its Cloncreen Wind Farm, near Edenderry, was getting up and running, Bord na Móna indicated it was also pressing ahead with several more proposed renewable energy projects in the region.
These include a pilot hydrogen plant which would be situated within its existing Mountlucas Wind Farm in Offaly.
At the end of July, Bord na Móna Powergen Limited lodged a planning application for a 2MW pilot-scale Hydrogen Electrolysis Plant in Mountlucas.
The plant would include three high-pressure hydrogen storage units, one hydrogen compression system, one generator, two substation or transformer structures, and an underground cable connection to the nearest wind turbine.
Members of the public can make submissions on the planning application until September 1, and Offaly County Council is due to decide whether or not to give it the green light by September 22.
In addition to Cloncreen Wind Farm, Bord na Móna said it had three more renewable energy developments currently “in construction and pre-construction.”
These included the Derrinlough Wind Farm near Cloghan, as well as the Timahoe Solar Farm in Kildare, and a second phase of the Oweninny Wind Farm in Mayo.
Planning permission has also been granted for the company’s Cúil na Móna Renewable Energy Gas Facility near Portlaoise, and for its Battery Storage Project at Cloncreen.
In addition, the company has nine further projects which are currently at the pre-planning stage.
These were listed as follows: Ballivor Wind Farm; Oweninny Wind Farm Phase III; Ballydermot Wind Farm; Lemanaghan Wind Farm; Littleton Wind Farm; Garryhinch Wind Farm; Derryadd Wind Farm; Blackwater Solar Farm (JV); and Bord na Móna Energy Park.
“We are developing wind, solar, hydrogen, biomass, biogas and other sources of renewable energy to help ensure Ireland has a secure, stable supply of clean energy,” stated the company’s CEO, Tom Donnellan.
“This keeps us on track to be able to supply approximately one third of Irish homes with renewable energy by 2030.”