Energy firm and ESB hope solar project partnership will power 10% of country's homes

File and unrelated image of solar farm

An Irish-owned renewable energy firm has joined forces with the ESB in a multi-million euro partnership that aims to power 10% of the country's homes.

The initial €30m investment between Harmony Solar and the ESB will develop ground-mounted solar projects in Ireland, with an ultimate goal to deliver more than 1,000 megawatts (MW) of solar projects to power 230,000 homes by 2030.

A megawatt is traditionally used to measure power plant output or electricity used by a city, with around 650 MW needed for a typical fossil fuel plant. Solar power generates clean energy.

Phase-one of the €30m project will develop Harmony Solar’s existing 300 megawatt (MW) assets primarily in Wexford and Kildare, with an ambition track to develop a total portfolio of more than 1,000 MW of large-scale solar projects, the firm said.

Further investment after the €30m will be made in the medium- to long-term as the pipeline comes to fruition, according to the ESB.

The ESB said solar power is a major part of its Brighter Future strategy to shift electricity generation away from fossil fuels by developing renewable projects of scale, with the goal of a low carbon energy future based on clean, reliable and affordable electricity.  The partnership has the potential to provide renewable electricity for approximately 230,000 homes — more than 10% of Ireland’s households — the ESB added.

ESB's executive director of generation and trading, Jim Dollard, said: "We are committed to a future where low carbon electricity powers a low carbon society. We already have an established position in the solar market in Ireland, with both ground-mounted and rooftop solar projects under development.

"This agreement with Harmony Solar represents another significant milestone, bolstering the company’s solar portfolio and our wider ambition in developing renewable electricity generation projects of scale.” 

The deal will help contribute to a reduction in emissions of up to 360,000 tonnes per year when fully operational, the ESB said.

Harmony Solar is a Wexford-based firm established in 2016 by a team of Irish renewable energy entrepreneurs.

ESB had a 38% share of electricity generation in Ireland in 2018.