SSE Airtricity is synonymous with cleaner, greener energy. The company, which was bought by SSE in 2008, has been actively harnessing Ireland’s greatest natural resource – wind – ever since, helping to support Ireland’s decarbonisation plans.
That trusted heritage in renewable energy is why a growing number of the country’s leading energy users, from across commercial and industrial sectors, have chosen to enter into corporate power purchase agreements (CPPAs) with the company.
These agreements allow them to purchase renewable electricity under contract, with a guarantee of origin, so they know the electricity provided was generated by a wind farm owned by SSE. Businesses can be confident in their efforts to meet their environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements and their contribution to carbon reduction.
And it’s not just good news for the environment. It makes good commercial sense too.
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Signing up to an SSE Airtricity CPPA can help large energy users achieve greater price certainty. By locking in electricity prices for the duration of the contract, such customers are shielded from the volatility of energy markets, allowing for better budgeting and financial planning.
It also means they are directly supporting Ireland’s energy transition. Because CPPAs provide an additional route to market for generators, independent of the Government-backed Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, they enable new wind farms to be built and existing ones to stay in operation longer.
Musgrave – Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and food service company – has just signed up to an SSE Airtricity CPPA.
Together with its retail partners, Musgrave supports more than 41,000 jobs in more than 1,000 stores, offices and distribution centres. These support market leading food and beverage brands such as SuperValu and Centra as well as its wholesale and food service wing, Musgrave Marketplace.
In April Musgrave announced a landmark CPPA which will see it purchase 100 per cent of the wind-powered energy from Richfield Wind Farm in Co Wexford and the Bessy Bell 2 Wind Farm in Co Tyrone, both of which are owned and operated by SSE Renewables, a sister company to SSE Airtricity.
The energy generated from Richfield Wind Farm and Bessy Bell 2 Wind Farm will help meet the Musgrave Group’s electricity needs, including Musgrave offices, 11 distribution centres and 105 SuperValu and Centra retail stores across Ireland.
The move is designed to help support Musgrave to decarbonise its operations, manage its energy costs and minimise the financial risk associated with market volatility.
“At Musgrave, we are proud to partner with SSE Airtricity in signing this Corporate Power Purchase Agreement,” says Noel Keeley, chief executive of Musgrave Group. “This landmark agreement marks a significant milestone in our journey toward net zero, and empowers our SuperValu and Centra stores to meaningfully reduce their environmental impact.
“Our network of stores is deeply committed to driving sustainability and making a positive difference in their local communities. Together with our retail partners we have ambitious plans for our journey to net zero, while supporting the renewable energy sector in Ireland through partnerships like this CPPA.”
The first all-island retail CPPA, it was a landmark agreement for the retail sector. “The partnership reflects our continued commitment to supporting businesses in their sustainability journey,” says SSE Airtricity’s managing director, Stephen Gallagher.
“As energy partner, our role is to ensure Musgrave has access to reliable renewable energy solutions and that SuperValu and Centra stores can continue to be leaders in sustainability. We look forward to continued collaborations to drive positive environmental impact, supporting a net-zero future for Ireland.”
CPPAs are one of a suite of energy solutions that SSE Airtricity offers. These include energy audits, a free survey supported by SEAI to help commercial customers to better understand their energy usage, identifying cost savings, reducing risk and lowering carbon footprint.
SSE Airtricity provides solar PV solutions too, including survey and installation for immediate ESG benefits, the potential for cost savings and long-term price stability, as well as the potential to generate revenue through microgeneration. Through funded solar solutions large users can install commercial solar panels via a solar PPA with no upfront cost.
SSE Airtricity also offers practical assistance such as the installation of electric vehicle charging points and can tailor energy solutions to meet the specific needs of businesses, supporting sustainability and operational efficiency goals.
Its distributed energy solutions meanwhile provide large users with modular energy generation and storage technologies, another fully financed energy solution designed around your needs.
‘We come in, get to know your business, look at demand and usage throughout your organisation on an annualised basis, and then tailor an agreement to suit’
The tailored aspect of SSE Airtricity CPPAs, and their ease of use, are important parts of the value proposition.
“A lot of people think this is the realm of Big Tech or data centres because they are very active in this space. But effectively the product we have developed is both personalised and simplified for diverse industry sectors. Each CPPA is completely bespoke and we have worked very hard to simplify the process so that customers have one contract and one single point of contact,” explains David O’Byrne, the company’s head of industrial and commercial contracts.
“Each agreement is between one partner and one clean energy solution, which is why each and every one of these agreements is different,” he says. “We come in, get to know your business, look at demand and usage throughout your organisation on an annualised basis, and then tailor an agreement to suit.”
In having an SSE Airtiricty CPPA, organisations are not only securing a reliable source of renewable energy – they’re also playing a meaningful role in Ireland’s energy transition.
In Musgrave’s case for example, its agreement directly continues the demand for energy from Richfield Wind Farm, contributing to the extension of life of a key renewable asset. “A CPPA provides clear, verifiable proof that your business is serious about climate action,” says O’Byrne.
“A CPPA can offer greater price stability, enabling businesses to secure a competitive fixed energy rate for the energy generated over the agreement’s term. That support in managing exposure to market fluctuations can make longer-term budgeting more predictable,” he says. “We only have to remember the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had on energy prices to appreciate the value of that.
CPPAs also helps protect energy security, another concern for businesses.
“Having a dedicated source of renewable energy, as Musgrave does, provides CPPA customers with greater visibility and assurance over their energy supply. It also reinforces their commitment to sustainability and supports the broader development of renewable infrastructure in Ireland.”
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