It was announced today that Energia Group will invest over €3 Billion in Irish renewable energy generation and related systems over the next 5 years.
The new 5 year investment programme by Energia Group is called ‘Positive Energy’. It will create 200 new jobs directly across the Energia Group in areas such as customer energy solutions and renewable technology, and an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 construction jobs over the duration of the programme. Energia Group currently employs 800 people on an all-island basis.
The announcement was made by Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, together with Energia Group CEO Ian Thom as the company opened its new Irish headquarters at Blanchardstown in Dublin.
Energia Group’s Positive Energy investment programme will be implemented across a range of major renewable energy projects including onshore and offshore wind farms, solar power, hydrogen fuel generation, bio-energy facilities and the smart grid. It is in line with the Government of Ireland’s commitment to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources from 30% now, to 70% by 2030.
Energia Group anticipates that this new investment will add up to 1.5 Gigawatts (1,500 Megawatts) of renewable generation to the grid over the 5-year programme. This will contribute to further sustainability in Ireland’s energy supply and to the achievement of Ireland’s climate change reduction targets.
Welcoming the investment, An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar said, "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions means making big changes; at Government, business, community and individual level. Under the Government’s Climate Action Plan, we want to increase the amount of energy produced from renewable sources from the 30% we produce today to 70% by 2030. To do this, we need industry to step up to the mark. I commend Energia Group for announcing this €3 billion investment in a range of renewable energy projects, from wind farms to bio-energy, which will help us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, give us cleaner air and reduce the need for expensive fossil fuel imports. The announcement of 200 new jobs also shows how climate action can create the jobs of the future. I’m really pleased that the company has chosen Blanchardstown as the location of its new headquarters; Energia Group is very welcome to Dublin West."
Energia Group CEO, Ian Thom added, "To date we have invested over €1 billion in the Irish energy market, driving developments to meet the needs of a high performance economy and society, north and south. Our decision to invest over €3 billion in renewable technology and energy infrastructure in the coming years is a clear signal of our intent to build on our continuous commitment to Irish communities, the economy and the sustainability of Ireland’s energy supply while contributing decisively to decarbonisation and the protection of our domestic and global environment."
Source: www.businessworld.ie