Plans unveiled for €2bn green energy project outside Tullow

PLANS for a new €2 billion long duration energy storage facility located outside Tullow have been announced.

Irish company Net Zero Energy (NZE) has announced its plans for the proposed Rathrush Green Energy Park, located near Rathoe, today (Monday).

The facility will use excess renewable energy produced from wind and solar farms, which is currently being lost due to inadequate grid capacity and lack of demand at certain times, to generate green hydrogen.

This hydrogen will then be stored below the site in lined rock caverns, ready to be released as clean electricity when needed.

NZE says the facility will save an estimated 180,000 tonnes of Co2 emissions every year, which equates to taking roughly 40,000 cars off the road.

The development, which is due to cost around €2 billion, will employ up to 1,500 workers on site during the construction phase, with some 70 long-term, highly skilled jobs once it is complete.

The company plans to undertake a community consultation programme in the near future, before formally submitting a planning application by the end of this year.

NZE Chief Executive Peter Harte said the project presents an “important and timely solution” to the current energy dilemma facing Ireland.

“Moreover, by harnessing an energy source which was heretofore being wasted, we can insulate consumers from future fossil fuel crises and price shocks such as we saw in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and more recently, in the Middle East,” he said.

NZE Chairman, Tim Cowhig said that the project could satisfy as much as 10% of Ireland’s peak energy requirement as a result of the 600MW of renewable energy that will be made available.

“Ireland has never been in such a precarious position in terms of our energy security. We spend €10 billion annually importing fossil fuels. This project is particularly timely with widespread debate and focus on Ireland's climate change targets and the enormous, subsequent fines which would result if we fail to meet them,” concluded Mr Cowhig.

The facility will have seven times the generation capacity of Ardnacrusha on the Clare-Limerick border and store 30 times more green energy than Turlough Hill in the Wicklow Mountains.