Bord na Móna has announced a strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS ) that will see AWS become the first business to join the Bord na Móna Eco Energy Park in the Midlands, subject to regulatory and planning consent.
In line with the announcement, Bord na Móna is investing significantly in this first Eco Energy Park to deliver wind and solar power, flexible generation to support grid resiliency when required, as well as developing new electricity grid connections. This Eco Energy Park is the first of its kind in Ireland and will allow Bord na Móna to support large-scale industrial growth and development in Ireland, enhancing the national grid.
The parks will co-locate large companies like AWS, with a range of renewable energy technologies, helping them to deliver low-carbon growth in their operations, whilst contributing to associated enterprise, community initiatives, local amenities, and the local natural environment.
The collaboration is set to create a pathway for AWS to develop data centres in the Midlands powered by wind and solar energy, in line with Government’s Principles for Sustainable Data Centre Development. As part of this agreement, AWS will also invest in up to 800MW of new renewable energy projects in Ireland, with this announcement marking AWS’s first 105MW power purchase agreement (PPA ) with Bord na Móna for Derrinlough Wind Farm.
This additional PPA will further support Amazon’s commitment to match all electricity powering of its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025 - five years ahead of their original target of 2030.
This strategic collaboration between Bord na Móna and AWS has the potential to deliver wider economic benefits for the Midlands, with hundreds of construction jobs to be created during the construction phase alone, and a significant multi annual Community Benefit Fund to provide support to local projects and groups.
Launched in 2021, Bord na Móna’s Eco Energy Park offering is transforming approximately 3,000ha across Bord na Móna’s landbank in the coming years, and will be designed to enhance Ireland’s security of energy supply, supporting the delivery of several of the State’s climate, renewable energy and enterprise objectives. Each Park will generate sufficient renewable energy to power a number of sectors that play an important role in Ireland’s social and economic development, such as, Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical, Agrifood, ICT, Transport, Green Hydrogen derived E-Fuels and Logistics. Bord na Móna’s Eco Energy Parks will not only help these industries to pursue low-carbon growth of their operations but will also significantly contribute to and support associated enterprise, community initiatives, local amenities, and the local natural environment.
This announcement marks another important milestone in Bord na Móna’s significant transition to become one of the leading renewable energy companies in the country and is an acceleration of a key element of Bord na Móna’s 5GW renewable energy infrastructure pipeline, in support of delivering against Ireland’s 2030 climate action targets.
Speaking on the announcement of this significant collaboration, Tom Donnellan, Chief Executive of Bord na Móna, stated that the company was delighted to be working with Amazon Web Services.
“As one of Ireland’s leading renewable energy providers we are committed to delivering innovative and sustainable ways for leading businesses across a range of sectors to decarbonise their operations.
“We are investing significantly in our Eco Energy Park offering in the Midlands, which will provide associated benefits for the area that will positively impact employment, the environment, infrastructure, communities, and local businesses. We can co-locate these large companies with our renewable energy assets to offer a sustainable pathway to grid capacity that is backed up with Flexible Technology power as required.
This is just the beginning, and we look forward to welcoming Amazon Web Services and other leading organisations from sectors like manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and ICT among others to join the Bord na Móna Eco Energy Park in the coming years,” Mr Donnellan said.
Lindsay McQuade, Director of Energy, EMEA, Amazon Web Services (AWS ), noted the importance of transitioning to carbon-free energy sources to lower carbon emissions.
“This is part of our Climate Pledge commitment to reach net zero carbon across our operations by 2040. As part of our commitment to reach net-zero carbon, we’re on a path to match all of the electricity powering our operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025—five years ahead of our original target of 2030.”
“This collaboration with Bord na Móna will help us to continue to decarbonise our operations whilst creating economic opportunities and supporting Ireland’s climate goals. We look forward to working closely with Bord na Móna to seek out opportunities to expand in the Midlands,” Ms McQuade commented.
