ESB has awarded a contract to Voltalia, a leading international energy producer and service provider, to serve as the main EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contractor for the Middleton House solar farm.
This solar farm will be situated to the northeast of Lanesborough, County Longford.
Construction and Capacity
The multi-million euro construction project is scheduled to commence in September 2024. Once completed, the Middleton House solar farm will generate 57 MW of clean electricity, enough to power over 15,000 homes.
Connection to the Grid
The solar farm will be connected to the electricity network via a new 5 km cable route along a disused peat rail line. This rail line, which had been in operation from the late 1950s until a few years ago, was originally used to transport peat to a carbon-intensive power station.
Now, ESB’s solar team is repurposing this infrastructure to connect clean energy to the national grid, utilizing the existing connection at the former Lough Ree Power Site.
ESB’s Net Zero Strategy
ESB’s commitment to its Net Zero by 2040 strategy includes increasing renewable generation capacity more than fivefold to 5000 MW.
Solar energy plays a crucial role in this strategy, along with offshore and onshore wind, battery storage, and green hydrogen projects.
The Middleton House solar farm is part of ESB’s broader plan to develop utility-scale solar farms throughout the midlands, south, and southeast of Ireland.
Local Impact and Strategic Importance
Eoin Naughton, Solar Development Manager at ESB, stated, “Lanesborough has a long and rich history of indigenous electricity generation. This announcement marks not just the commencement of Middleton House solar farm but the revitalization of the midlands as a strategic energy hub as part of Ireland’s clean energy future. Solar provides an excellent source of clean, low-cost energy which will help to further reduce our dependency on imported fossil fuels and achieve energy independence. We now look forward to working with Voltalia to deliver Middleton House solar farm.”
Voltalia’s Role and Collaboration
Sébastien Clerc, CEO of Voltalia, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Voltalia is delighted to have been selected as the engineering, procurement, and construction service provider for the Middleton House project. After the first collaboration for the Timahoe North project, Voltalia is thrilled to see ESB’s trust confirmed with this additional contract. As a key partner, Voltalia will continue to support ESB’s ambition to reach its ESG objectives by 2040.”
Planning and Approvals
Full planning permission for the Middleton House solar farm has been granted by Longford County Council. Additionally, the project was successful in the RESS 2 auction in June 2022, securing its place in Ireland’s renewable energy future.
Conclusion
The Middleton House solar farm represents a significant step in ESB’s journey toward achieving its Net Zero by 2040 goals. Through strategic partnerships and innovative repurposing of existing infrastructure, ESB continues to lead the way in Ireland’s transition to renewable energy.