SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland have forged a significant partnership with tech giant Microsoft, marking a crucial step towards advancing renewable energy objectives. The collaboration involves a long-term wind Corporate Power Purchase Agreement (CPPA) aimed at bolstering Microsoft's commitment to powering its data center operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Under the terms of the agreement, the electricity generated by seven Vestas V117-4.3MW turbines at the 30MW Lenalea Wind Farm will directly contribute to Microsoft's ambitious sustainability targets. This initiative is an extension of Microsoft's existing commitment, as it had previously announced 900MW of renewable energy CPPAs in Ireland in November 2022. A substantial portion of this capacity, including more than 216MW from onshore wind and solar energy projects, has already commenced commercial operations, furthering the delivery of clean energy to the national grid. An additional 250MW is slated to reach commercial operation later this year.
This landmark agreement represents the inaugural long-term CPPA jointly entered into by SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland, signifying a milestone in their collaborative efforts. CPPAs are recognized as pivotal mechanisms for renewable energy developments, facilitating accelerated delivery and supporting Ireland's decarbonization objectives.
In addition to driving renewable energy uptake, the collaboration with Microsoft will also establish a Community Benefit Fund, expected to amount to approximately €150,000 per year. This fund will be overseen by a locally appointed Community Committee, which has already been established, ensuring that the benefits are directed towards the communities surrounding the Lenalea Wind Farm.
Eoin Doherty, Vice President, EMEA Regional Leader, Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation, emphasized Microsoft's dedication to sustainability, stating, “At Microsoft, we are committed to playing our part in supporting the decarbonization of energy grids in markets in which we operate data centers.”
Stuart Donnelly, Director of Corporate Power Purchase Agreements at SSE Renewables, expressed satisfaction with this achievement, affirming, “Securing our first long-term Corporate PPA for new onshore wind in Ireland is a satisfying milestone for SSE Renewables and our development partner FuturEnergy Ireland.”
