Danish energy group Ørsted and FuturEnergy Ireland have been granted planning approval for an onshore wind development project in Co Cork.
Coom Green Energy Park, located near the Bottlehill waste facility, has the potential to deliver up to 121MW of renewable energy, which is the equivalent of powering 80,000 homes and displacing up to 150,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
In addition, the project includes provision for 50MW of energy storage. With planning approval for the development granted, the next step for the project is to apply for a grid connection from EirGrid.
Subject to successful confirmation of the project’s grid route, the site can be submitted into future Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auctions, or sell the power through corporate power purchase agreements.
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Pending a final investment decision, Coom Green Energy Park can potentially be operational by 2027, the groups said.
Coom Green Energy Park comes with a community benefit fund of €500,000 for the first 15 years. This consists of near neighbour contributions and a wider community fund that provides direct local project funding.
Up to 168 jobs are expected to be created during the construction phase, as well as up to 42 long-term jobs once the wind farm is operational.
Ørsted senior director for development and operations in the UK and Ireland TJ Hunter said: “With a capacity of 121MW, Coom represents a considerable investment by Ørsted, and once completed, it will be our highest-output onshore wind farm in Ireland.”
He said the project took two years and 11 months to move through the An Bord Pleanála planning process.
Mary Lynch, portfolio director at FuturEnergy Ireland, added: “The FuturEnergy Ireland team warmly welcomes the positive planning decision reached by An Bord Pleanála, which allows us to progress Coom Green Energy Park with our co-development partner Ørsted into its next phase of development.
“This will include working with the community to establish a community benefit fund committee made up of local people. This project brings us another step closer to reaching Ireland’s climate action targets and making our energy security and independence a reality.”
