Solar 21 boss says 80 new jobs should have been in Ireland

The boss of a renewable energy company that has created 80 jobs in the UK has said the jobs ought to have been based in the Republic.

Solar 21, a Dublin-based firm with assets of over €100million, has signed a 10-year contract with a feedstock supplier, creating 80 jobs in Hull, England, having raised over €42 million from Irish investors since March.

The company said Brexit has not had a negative impact on the pace of investments, with the largest level of funds coming in during August.

"While we're delighted with the developments and progress we have made in the UK, we would love to be announcing the creation of 80 permanent jobs here in Ireland," said chief executive Michael Bradley.

“These jobs could and should have been created in Ireland. Had the Irish Government been as progressive in the area of renewable energy as the UK government are we would have created these, along with hundreds more jobs, here in Ireland.”

Fundraising

Solar 21 acquired the rights to a 22MW plant in Hull last year, and the company is now over two-thirds of the way through the fundraising process.

“To date our fundraising efforts have been even more successful than initially envisaged which is down to a number of factors,” said Mr Bradley. “Namely, the calibre of the key advisers we are working with on this project.

“The high standard of advisers has given both brokers and investers great comfort that this project will have a successful outcome for all involved.”

Solar 21 says it now has over 90 per cent of the components built for the plant, and has also signed and bonded a 10-year contract with an established local feedstock supplier.

Biomass plant

“The creation of the 80 new jobs comes on the back of a 10-year contract we have just signed with E Mercer & Probio-Energy. E Mercer has been established since 1904, and owns the Albert Docks in Hull. Prior to our agreement with the feedstock supplier, the waste wood, which will now be used to fuel the biomass plant, was going into land fill or being exported.”

The Hull project is the first of five projects in the pipeline that Solar 21 have with UK-based manufacturer HRS. The next two projects are expected to be launched are in Wales, with plans for a biogas project also in the pipeline.