FuturEnergy Ireland has appointed Ventolines, with partners Egis, as its Owner’s Engineer for the Carrownagowan Wind Farm project, in the west of Ireland, following a competitive tender process. This marks a significant milestone for the FuturEnergy Ireland Group as the project enters its delivery phase and Egis' first windfarm project as owner's engineer in Ireland.
FuturEnergy Ireland, a joint venture between Coillte (Ireland's state forestry company) and ESB (Ireland's national electricity utility) established in late 2021, is targeting the development of 1GW of renewable electricity by 2030 from its strong portfolio of renewable energy projects across the country. Carrownagowan Wind Farm is its first 100% owned project to move into the delivery phase.
Ventolines has partnered with global engineering firm Egis to provide all necessary knowledge and expertise to optimise the delivery of the Carrownagowan project and minimise risks during both the construction and operational phases. Ventolines, as a leading renewable energy services provider, will bring excellent international and technical expertise, as well as a strong track record in renewable energy delivery, to the project.
In this role, Ventolines will oversee the technical requirements and safeguard quality, costs, safety and integration of all technical deliveries at site, ensuring that FuturEnergy Ireland’s interests are protected throughout every stage of contracting and project execution.
As one of Ireland's leading multi-disciplinary engineering and operations firms, Egis will partner with Ventolines in supervising the construction and final design of the project.
Carrownagowan Wind Farm, which comprises 19 wind turbines with a tip height of up to 169 metres, is located on the northern slopes of Slieve Bernagh in East Co. Clare. The project will contribute towards Ireland’s climate action targets, while also improving the country’s energy security and independence, reducing our reliance on expensive, imported fossil fuels. The project is expected to generate enough clean, green electricity to power the equivalent of an estimated 70,000 homes annually. Over its lifetime, 2.8 million tonnes of CO2 are expected to be offset compared with traditional electricity generation.
Commenting on the appointment, Mary Lynch, Delivery Director at FuturEnergy Ireland, said:
“FuturEnergy Ireland warmly welcomes the appointment of Ventolines and Egis to Carrownagowan Wind Farm, an impactful project that will play a vital role in fighting climate change and providing clean, home-produced electricity to Ireland. The project will also benefit the local area through a €11 million community benefit fund, local rates contributions and employment.“This is an exciting time for Carrownagowan Wind Farm and for FuturEnergy Ireland as we move towards construction supported by such strong industry leaders. We are excited to partner with Ventolines, and look forward to working together. We aim to get the blades turning at Carrownagowan by 2028 ahead of the Government’s climate action target of achieving 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030.”
Remco Boersma, Director of Contracting and Construction at Ventolines, said of the announcement:
“In our role guiding the project’s delivery, we bring our knowledge and expertise to this challenging project. We look forward, together with our partner Egis, and are proud to support FuturEnergy Ireland in contracting and constructing the seventh-largest wind farm in Ireland. The task ahead will be a team effort; we look forward to co-operating in an integrated manner with the teams of FuturEnergy Ireland and Egis.”
Joanne Moran, Director for Energy Transition for Ireland and the UK at Egis, said:
"We are excited to be collaborating with Ventolines on what is an important project for both FuturEnergy Ireland and the country as a whole. Carrownagowan is Egis’ first wind farm project in Ireland and we look forward to deploying our local and global expertise to ensure it is delivered to the highest standards. At Egis, we are committed to and have a track record of developing and delivering large-scale projects that can address climate change and assist in driving the transition to cleaner energy. Working together with Ventolines to develop Carrownagowan for FuturEnergy Ireland provides an opportunity for us to deliver on this commitment in a real and substantial way."
Francois Xavier Basselot, Managing Director, Energy & Sustainable Cities, Europe & Africa at Egis, said:
“Carrownagowan represents a landmark moment not just for FuturEnergy Ireland but also for Egis. Partnering with Ventolines on such a strategically important project highlights our shared commitment to accelerating the energy transition and delivering renewable infrastructure that will benefit communities, strengthen energy security, and reduce carbon emissions. We are proud to bring our expertise to support this milestone for Ireland’s clean energy future, and it forms an important step in Egis’ broader ambition to grow our presence and impact across Ireland’s energy sector.”
Martin Hogan, Chief Business Officer for Ireland at Egis, said:
“Egis' first wind project in Ireland as Owner’s Engineer marks an important step in our ambition to deliver more sustainable outcomes for society. We wholeheartedly thank FuturEnergy Ireland and our partners, Ventolines, for their trust, collaboration and shared commitment to creating lasting impacts.”
