Airtricity is set to build four new wind farms in Ireland which will double the amount of renewable energy it supplies to the National Grid, it was announced today.
The new sites in Richfield, Co Wexford, Tournafella, Co Limerick, Bindoo, Co Cavan and Knockastanna, Co Limerick, will supply a total of 110 megawatts of power, Airtricity said.
The wind turbines - the first built by the company in Ireland for two years - are part of a €130 million development.
Airtricity chief executive Eddie O'Connor said the wind farms would help develop an indigenous energy supply for Ireland. "At a time when energy supply, shortages and increasing costs are dominating headlines both at home and abroad, this is a timely boost for our customer base in Ireland.
"For the last number of years we have stressed the importance of developing our own indigenous energy supply and today's announcement will almost double the capacity that Airtricity will be feeding into the National Grid," Dr O'Connor said.
"It is more obvious now that we cannot be held hostage to fortune and rely on imported energy and fuel sources to power our expanding economy. "The wind conditions here are the best in Europe and we must maximise its potential for the benefit for all."
Dr O'Connor said the new development would help meet the demand for renewable energy from Airtricity's 50,000 Irish customers. The company already operates wind farms in Donegal, Sligo, Cavan, Wicklow, Fermanagh and Ardrossan, Scotland.
Airtricity is also developing one of the largest wind farms in Europe in Ayrshire, Scotland and a giant 500MW off-shore farm off the coast of South East England.
In addition, the company said it was developing sites in the US following the acquisition of Texas-based Renewable Generation Inc.