MIIN Member - DP Energy completes Australia's largest wind-solar farm
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DP Energy developing three off-shore wind projects in Ireland in Cork, Clare, and Wexford
The Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park in Southern Australia comprises 50 wind turbines and 250,000 solar panels to produce 320MW of renewable energy.
Cork energy firm DP Energy has completed work on Australia's largest hybrid wind-solar farm with Spanish firm Iberdrola.
The Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park in South Australia saw the installation of its final wind turbine this week.
It comprises 50 wind turbines and 250,000 solar panels to produce 320MW of renewable energy.
Headquartered in Buttevant the company has submitted foreshore site investigation licences for three offshore wind projects around the Irish Coast, off Cork, Clare, and Wexford.
DP Energy is also partnering with Iberdrola for the development of these Irish projects.
DP Energy’s first wind farm project was completed in Tyrone in 1995, and since then the company has delivered energy projects in Ireland, Australia, Canada, and the UK.
The company is led by co-founders Maureen and Simon De Pietro — a mother and son partnership.
To mark the completion of the Port Augusta project, South Australian minister for energy and mining, Dan van Holst Pellekaan said: “Congratulations to Iberdrola and project partners DP Energy on completing this important milestone in the project which created more than 200 full-time jobs during the construction phase and a further 20 on-going jobs after completion, with many positions occupied by locals.
This innovative regional renewable energy project is an example of the way our state government is delivering on its vision for South Australia to achieve 100% net renewable energy by 2030.
“DP Energy is excited to be part of this substantial contribution to South Australia’s low carbon energy future," DP Energy’s director and country manager, Catherine Way, said.
"Watching such an ambitious concept be realised throughout construction has been rewarding, and it is great that Iberdrola chose DP Energy’s project for their entry into the Australian market.”
In Ireland, DP Energy is developing the Inis Ealga Marine Energy Park which is located off the Cork coast.
It would involve the installation of approximately 70 floating wind turbines moored to the sea bed to generate 1GW of power.
The company submitted a foreshore application in 2019 and it is expected to submit a Maritime Area Consent Application next year and a full planning application in 2023.
Further Irish coastal developments
The company is also examining the feasibility of developing a similar-sized offshore wind project off the coasts of Clare and Kerry — called Clarus Offshore Wind Farm it would provide 1GW of renewable energy.
The Shelmalere Offshore Windfarm project will be located off the Wexford coast.
It will utilise fixed bottom wind turbines and upon completion, will have the potential capacity of up to 1GW.
An Application for Foreshore Licence was submitted to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in November 2020.
In February, Iberdrola announced it had acquired a majority stake in DP Energy's three offshore wind projects.
In Ireland, the Spanish firm plans to invest up to €100m in new renewable and storage projects by 2025.
Existing projects include the repowering of the Barnesmore wind farm in County Donegal, and the Rigged Hill and Corkey projects in Northern Ireland, all of which include energy storage.
It is also building the country's largest battery facility in Gorman (50 MW), which will be operational later this year.