Healthcare company MSD Ireland has switched on the country’s largest self-generation solar farm at its facility in Ballydine, Co Tipperary, in conjunction with the ESB.
MSD — a trade name of US chemical and pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co — has been established as a healthcare company in Ireland for 50 years, with almost 3,000 employees at six sites including Ballydine.
MSD Ballydine, working with ESB’s Smart Energy Services, has built the 7.3MW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array to help reduce significantly the site’s carbon footprint, in line with its ambitious climate goals. It is estimated that the system will generate approximately 7.9GWh of clean renewable electricity for the MSD site, so that 20% of the site’s energy requirements will now come from renewable sources.
The solar farm will enable MSD to reduce its carbon footprint by 2,340 tonnes every year, equivalent to removing 1,200 diesel cars from Irish roads, according to the company.
Managing director Mairead McCaul said: ““We’re delighted to partner with ESB’s Smart Services in developing the project, and we look forward to working with them over the next 20 years as we continue to expand our sustainability efforts.“
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Smart Energy Services has provided the upfront capital required to build, operate, and maintain the system, while MSD will pay for the power generated by the solar array through a Power Purchase Agreement over the next 20 years.
ESB customer solutions director Pat Fenlon added: “Through our €75m Smart Energy Services Fund, we are helping organisations such as MSD Ireland deliver critical energy solutions that deliver significant financial and environmental benefits.
"Delivering Ireland’s largest behind-the-meter solar project is another milestone for our business division, and we are proud to work with MSD Ireland on their ambitious sustainability efforts.”
MSD Ballydine develops and supplies active ingredients and final formulated products for a range of innovative medicines at its manufacturing and R&D facilities.
