Ørsted begins construction on 55MW solar farm close to Cork City

Danish company's solar pipeline in Ireland stands at 700MW

TJ Hunter, Ørsted Senior Director Onshore - Ireland & UK, at a green site in Ballinrea, Cork. Picture: Darragh Kane

Ørsted has started construction on its second Irish solar farm in Ballinrea, located between Carrigaline and Cork City.

Once completed, the 55MW solar project will have the potential to generate enough electricity to power 16,000 homes.

Awarded a RESS 4 contract in September 2024, it’s expected the solar farm will be fully operational in 2026. Ballinrea marks the Danish renewable giant's second solar project in Ireland, following the 81MW first phase of Garreenleen Solar Farm in Carlow, which began construction last June.

In solar, Ørsted’s current pipeline stands at over 700 MW, supporting the Irish Government's 8 GW solar energy target by 2030. The investment in Ballinrea is the 21st advanced or operational onshore wind and solar project in Ireland, powering the equivalent of 250,000 homes nationwide.

TJ Hunter, Vice President Onshore in UK & Ireland at Ørsted, said: "If we are to ultimately achieve a green energy future in Ireland, solar is a fundamental piece of the jigsaw. We have a strong solar pipeline currently at over 700 MW and we will continue to look at opportunities for solar projects in Ireland to help the government achieve its target of 8 GW of solar energy target 2030.”

“2024 marked Ørsted’s biggest ever construction year with 1.5 GW of onshore renewables and 6.7 GW of offshore wind currently in construction across the globe. While challenges remain, we are confident we are going in the right direction to create an energy system run on clean, reliable and renewable power”.

Ørsted has also bolstered its presence in Ireland, relocating to a new office space on Albert Quay. The office is Ørsted’s onshore headquarters for Europe, employing over 100 people, with the ambition of growing that number. 

Ørsted said its investment in Ireland has reached €800m, across a mixed portfolio of wind and solar projects.