The Nordex Group has achieved a key milestone in the ongoing development of the Yellow River Wind Farm in Rhode, County Offaly, with the successful installation of the first turbine.

Wind turbine supplier Nordex Group was commissioned by SSE Renewables to manufacture, deliver and install a total of 29 of its N117/3600 turbines at the 101MW Yellow River project site.

The first convoys of turbine components, delivered to the Midlands site from the Port of Galway, got underway in November 2023 with the installation programme beginning shortly after. Deliveries, which are expected to continue until April 2024, are taking place during the early hours of the morning to ensure minimum disruption to local residents. All turbines are expected to be installed by the end of Summer 2024 with commissioning expected in early 2025.

Yellow River has secured a contract for all of the site's planned installed capacity of renewable energy power under the Irish Government's latest RESS 3 auction round for new onshore wind farms. The contract is due to commence shortly after commissioning.

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When complete, the wind farm will generate enough low-carbon renewable energy to power 66,000 homes annually and offset 65,000 metric tonnes of carbon per annum, contributing significantly to Ireland's 2030 renewable energy targets.

The project is expected to support up to 80 full-time construction jobs at peak delivery.

Heather Donald, SSE Renewables' Onshore Renewables Development and Construction Director, said: "Celebrating another milestone at Yellow River so soon after taking delivery of the first turbine components underlines the hard work by everyone involved in the installation programme. It is a pivotal moment in the project as our teams continue to press on with a busy schedule to safely install and deliver turbines at the site."

"Achieving this milestone is symbolic of our continued commitment to delivering greener, homegrown energy for Ireland which is needed now and in the future. Across SSE Renewables, we are spending around €4.5m a day on developing and building new clean power assets such as Yellow River Wind Farm. When completed next year, Yellow River will be able to generate in excess of 100MW of wind-powered electricity, contributing significantly to Ireland's 2030 renewable energy targets."

James Lappin, Project Manager for Nordex said: "The installation of the first turbine at Yellow River Wind Farm is a significant milestone in our commitment to providing innovative wind energy solutions that contribute to a greener, more sustainable future in Ireland. We are proud to partner with SSE Renewables on this 101 MW project and thank the local community for their continued support and patience during the delivery and installation phase. Our teams are working diligently to deliver a safe and timely project whilst also minimising any potential disruption. We look forward to a smooth conclusion to this stage of the project later this year."