Statkraft Ireland has surpassed 500MW of installed solar capacity, the Irish Examiner reports, following the energisation of a 174MW project in Clonfad, County Westmeath, and a 32MW facility at Irishtown on the outskirts of Dublin.

The Cork-headquartered renewable energy firm now accounts for just over 40% of Ireland's total installed utility-scale solar, which stands at approximately 1.3GW. The milestone arrives against a backdrop of heightened energy security concerns driven by ongoing geopolitical instability.

Kevin O'Donovan, Managing Director of Statkraft Ireland, said: "With the current geopolitical challenges, we are seeing an ever-increasing need to deliver renewables to ensure safe and secure, domestic energy supplies."

He added that the energisation of Clonfad and Irishtown brought total installed solar to 560MW, describing the achievement as "a positive step in a very turbulent time."

EirGrid data indicates that 48% of Ireland's electricity was generated from renewable sources in February, underscoring the expanding role of utility-scale solar in the national energy mix.

Ireland's Climate Action Plan sets a target of 8GW of solar power by 2030, with large-scale projects central to meeting that objective.

Ronan Power, CEO of Solar Ireland, noted that policy, grid investment, and planning frameworks must continue supporting the accelerated deployment of solar and other renewables. "Large projects like Clonfad and Irishtown are helping bring more clean, home-grown electricity onto the grid at a time when energy security and affordability are key priorities," he said.

Statkraft, headquartered in Norway and Europe's largest producer of renewable energy, entered the Irish market in 2018 and has since invested over €1 billion across wind, solar, battery storage, and grid services.

Explore the full details on Statkraft's latest solar milestone and what it means for Ireland's clean energy transition in the complete story.