Wood Group’s clean energy business, previously known as SgurrEnergy, recently completed owner’s engineer work for the pre-construction and construction phase of Metro Energy DAC’S Kilberehert Wind Farm near Freemount, County Cork, Ireland.
The renewable energy and grid integration experts were commissioned by Metro Energy, which is owned by brothers Garvan and Kieran Healy, to provide expert advice on the site which was developed on their family’s farm. The 4.799MW project, which comprises three turbines, is now spinning at maximum export capacity; generating power for approximately 3,000 local homes.
The idea for the Kilberehert Wind Farm was originally conceived back in 2003 by Garvan Healy who invested a considerable amount of time, money and effort in getting the project through to the early stages of pre-construction. When Wood Group was appointed in 2015, the project really started gaining momentum with the company providing a wide range of support including project management, financial close support, planning support, site inspections and wind turbine technical support.
Garvan Healy, director at Metro Energy DAC, said: "We are delighted that Kilberehert Wind Farm is now fully operational. The whole project is the culmination of 14 years of work so it’s great to see it finally coming to fruition.
"We are a small independent developer but working with Wood Group has ensured that we have direct access to some of the most experienced wind sector professionals in the market. Not only were they technically the best team of advisors we could have wished for but they too shared our commitment towards helping Ireland reach its 2020 renewable energy targets.
"We would like to thank all members of Wood Group’s clean energy team for significantly contributing to the success of Kilberehert Wind Farm."
Stephen Corr, project manager at Wood Group – clean energy, said: "This project is a testament to Garvan’s ambition and tremendous efforts. We are delighted to have provided the support needed to overcome some significant hurdles and achieve commercial operations at Kilberehert Wind Farm.
"Metro Energy’s 4.799MW site has the capacity to produce enough electricity for around 3,000 homes. And for a small independent power provider, that is both inspiring and encouraging."
Wind energy is a growing sector in Ireland and Northern Ireland, creating jobs and benefiting local communities.