Echelon's Wicklow data centre campus to be Ireland's first Green Energy Park
Echelon Data Centres' DUB20 data centre campus in Arklow, Co Wicklow will become Ireland's first Green Energy Park.
Green Energy Parks are defined by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as developments that co-locate large energy users, such as data centres, with renewable energy generation.
They are required to be primarily powered by renewables with battery storage or dispatchable backup from energy centres, can demonstrate reduced reliance on the national grid, and can promote innovation and system-wide benefits, such as using waste heat for district heating schemes.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien expects Green Energy Parks to play a key role in achieving Ireland’s climate targets while sustaining investment, employment and digital infrastructure growth.
The Large Energy Users Action Plan (LEAP) sets out a clear pathway for how energy-intensive industries can develop in a way that strengthens Ireland’s grid, accelerates renewable deployment and supports our climate ambitions.
“The Green Energy Park being developed at DUB20 is an important example of that model in action – co-locating data infrastructure with offshore wind, onsite solar, battery storage, and grid-supporting capacity.
"This is exactly the kind of forward-planned, sustainable development we want to see delivered under LEAP.”
The DUB20 campus includes a joint 220kV substation developed with SSE Renewables, facilitating access for up to 800MW of offshore wind energy from Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2.
Solar PV systems are planned as part of the DUB20 development, with the potential to generate more than 6,000MWh per annum.
The campus will feature two onsite energy centres, including one capable of exporting power to the national grid during periods of low renewable output – creating the largest grid-supporting asset in Ireland that is not a dedicated power station.
Echelon will also co-locate battery energy storage systems and use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to reduce onsite generation emissions by up to 90%.
The DUB20 campus forms part of Echelon's €4.2bn investment in two facilities in Wicklow and is located at the former Irish Fertilisers Industries site at the Avoca River Business Park in Arklow.
Construction is underway and due to be completed by 2028.
An independent Economic Impact Assessment by KPMG found that the DUB20 and DUB30 campuses could generate up to €7.5bn in economic output during construction and €801m annually once operational.
The assessment also found that every €1 invested could yield €1.60 in wider economic activity, with thousands of jobs supported during both construction and operation.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien. (Pic: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie)
“The establishment of Ireland’s first Green Energy Park at DUB20 demonstrates how large-scale digital infrastructure can be developed responsibly and in lockstep with national climate and energy policy," said Graeme McWilliams, co-founder of Echelon.
“By co-locating data centre capacity with offshore wind, onsite solar and grid-supporting infrastructure, we are delivering the exact model envisioned under the Government’s LEAP framework – cutting emissions, reinforcing energy security and supporting regional economic growth.”
Photo: Echelon's planned DUB20 campus will be Ireland's first Green Energy Park. (Pic: Echelon)
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