Statkraft secures four state contracts in Irish renewable energy auction

Statkraft has confirmed that it has secured a total of four contracts in the Irish Government’s Renewable Energy Supply Scheme (RESS-2) auction. One wind farm and three solar projects were successful, which will produce a total of 360MW of clean energy.

Commenting on the results, Statkraft Ireland Managing Director Kevin O’Donovan said, “We very much welcome the outcome of this auction and the opportunity to build some more significant renewable energy projects which will further progress the clean energy transition. This represents an investment of over €260 million into the Irish economy over the next number of years, including a continued annual investment into the local communities where we are located.”

“While the outcome for Statkraft is a positive one, it must be acknowledged that it is a challenging time for the industry and for energy consumers. Prices are high and global events have caused major uncertainty. It makes an even stronger case for delivering more renewable energy onto our system, as it leads to more affordability and a secure and independent energy system.”

Donal O’Sullivan, Head of Development at Statkraft Ireland added, “This is a fantastic result for Statkraft but this auction was hugely challenging for the sector. Market volatility, grid uncertainties and planning delays drove up prices. While the price of renewable energy has risen since the last auction, it is still much lower than the price of fossil fuels. The best and most effective way of delivering affordable energy prices for consumers is to deliver more wind and solar projects.”

The wind project totals 47.3MW and the three solar projects total 322MW. Statkraft is aiming to have them completed and operational by the end of 2024/early 2025.

Statkraft entered the Irish market in 2018 and since then has more than doubled its workforce and tripled its development portfolio. It develops, owns, and operates renewable energy projects across the technologies of onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, battery storage and grid services.