Serving almost 850,000 customer sites, the Group is a leader in wind, solar battery storage, delivering reliable clean energy to communities and is marking Science Week 2024, which runs from 10th – 17th November across Ireland.    

This year, the Group hosted an Open Day at its new state-of-the-art Drumlins Park Wind Farm, near Newbliss, Co Monaghan to inspire and educate local communities about renewable energy harnessed from the windThe Group partnered with Monaghan Libraries as part of the Cavan Monaghan Science Festival to organise the visit.

Families, student and science enthusiasts of all ages were invited to experience firsthand how wind energy can power homes. They enjoyed the rare opportunity to explore the inner workings of wind turbines and learn about renewable energy technologies and interacted with Energia Group’s science and engineering experts. 

Visitors were also able to watch a drone demonstration, showing how turbine blades can be easily inspected from the ground as part of regular maintenance checks, reducing the need for engineers to climb to the top of the 100-metre-tall towers.

This event and other wind farm visits Energia accommodates across the island of Ireland every year, underscores our commitment to fostering community engagement, encouraging an interest in STEM and promoting a more sustainable energy future for all. Having welcomed hundreds of visitors to our wind farms over the course of the year, these tours offer unique experiences that will ignite curiosity and highlight the importance of renewable energy for the future.

Drumlins Park, which commenced operations earlier this year, is a new 49 MW wind farm that consists of eight wind turbines supplied by GE Renewable Energy. With the addition of Drumlin Park, the Group now owns and operates 16 wind farms on the island. These wind farms are more than a source of clean power, they are part of a more sustainable energy future and  Science Week is a great time to showcase how innovative technology and environmental responsibility can make a difference. 

Brian Mullen, Head of Energia Renewables Operations, commenting on Energia Group’s community engagement, said, “Science Week is a very significant event in the annual calendar for all ages, all across Ireland. Given our emphasis on innovation, new technologies and sustainable energy, we have consistently looked to mark the event in support of its efforts. The focus of Science Week in promoting STEM is very important for us as a business.

“We rely on skilled and early career professionals from a diverse range of STEM disciplines, so we were delighted to be able to showcase our newest windfarm in Drumlins Park which will meet the annual needs of around 34,000 Irish households and offset around 58,000 tonnes of carbon per annum, making a significant contribution to Ireland’s Climate Action targets.” 

Aligned with the Irish Government’s energy and climate ambition, Energia Group has set clear targets to halve the carbon intensity of its electricity generation and increase by a factor of three the volume of renewable electricity the Group generates on the island of Ireland by 2030.  The Group’s ongoing investments in new renewable electricity projects, including offshore wind, onshore wind and solar, is supported under the Group’s ‘Positive Energy’ programme and will play an important role in the achievement of Ireland’s renewable electricity and wider decarbonisation goals for 2030. 

Karen McCague from Monaghan Libraries, the lead partner of the Cavan Monaghan Science Festival programme, said there was huge interest in the wind farm visit: “We’re always keen to offer something new and were delighted to team up with Energia for this wind farm visit.  Many of us are used to the sight of turbines and may even regularly drive past wind farms but few of us have got to see inside one of these towers and find out how they work.

“Our Science Festival offers a window into the wonders of science, technology and engineering and this wind farm visit really fits the bill. The focus this year is the power of regeneration and that includes the adoption of more sustainable approaches to energy supply and use.”