October 25, 2013
Ireland

Up to 700 Bord Na Mona wind turbines planned for West Kildare and North East Offaly

Leinster Leader | 25 October 2013 | www.leinsterleader.ie

Today, October 24, Bord Na Mona announced plans to build between 600 and 700 wind turbines at cutaway bog in West Kildare and North East Offaly.

Speaking at the launch of Bruckana Wind Farm in Co. Tipperary, Bord Na Mona CEO, John Horgan discussed details for the Clean Energy Hub project. He said the project would generate 2GW of electricity when up and running with an export business of €1billion to Britain and mainland Europe. He invited potential partners to come on board. He said it was hoped the planning application would be lodged in 2015.

Bord na Móna Chairman John Horgan said “I am delighted to be announcing the launch of the Bord na Móna Clean Energy Hub and to issue an invitation to all other partners to join with us in preparing a single planning application. Wind farms are innovative and profitable ways of continuing our mandate to extract maximum economic and social value from the lands we hold in trust for the benefit of all people of Ireland”

Minister Pat Rabbitte, who was on hand to launch the Bruckana project welcomed the announcement.

“We can see here today that cutaway bog far away from concentrations of people can be a suitable location for wind power generation. In this regard I recognise the significance of what Bord na Móna are announcing today.

“Yesterday I launched the first stage in a consultative process which will lead to a policy framework under which any renewable energy export projects would be regulated. I would urge Bord na Móna and other prospective developers to engage with that process.”

The Clean Energy Hub will be located at bog land near Prosperous, Coill Dubh, Derrinturn, Carbury, Rathangan, Timahoe and Staplestown.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2013/10/25/up-to-700-bord-na-mona-wind-turbines-planned-for-west-kildare-and-north-east-offaly/