Airtricity, Ireland’s second largest and greenest energy provider, has paid out almost €120,000 in funding to 14 community projects in the vicinity of its Coomacheo and Curragh Wind Farms. The payout brings Airtricity Community Fund investment from its North Cork wind farms to over half a million Euro in just five years.
The funding presentation was made by Airtricity from its 2013 Coomacheo and Curragh Community Fund and brings total local funding investment by the company into Gaeltacht Mhúscraí, Clondrohid and Millstreet, Co. Cork, to over half a million euro in just five years since 2009 when the wind farms were commissioned.
Airtricity is supplied with green energy from the combined 59.8MW Coomacheo and Curragh Wind Farms which are operated by SSE, Ireland’s largest renewable energy generator. The green energy generated by the wind farms produces enough electricity to power over 40,000 homes.
Under its Community Fund Programme, Airtricity annually makes a financial contribution from each of its wind farms owned and operated nationwide by SSE.
Each year SSE Airtricity invests around €800,000 nationwide into projects promoting energy efficiency and sustainability – that’s over €3million so far back into local communities from its wind farms towards more than 1500 projects – making SSE Airtricity Ireland’s leader in community funding from wind energy.
Since its launch in 2009, Airtricity’s Coomacheo and Curragh Community Fund has provided funding totalling around €565,000 to almost 90 different local projects in Gaeltacht Mhúscraí, Clondrohid and Millstreet.
This year’s €120,000 Community Fund presentation is one of the largest annual payments made by Airtricity to communities around its wind farms nationwide. Overall 14 community projects in the area are being supported by the Coomacheo and Curragh Community Fund.
Conchúr Ó Luasa, Principal at Scoil Abán Naofa, commented:
“We are delighted with Airtricity’s funding for the replacement of the centre’s heating system which was out of date, impossible to regulate and very costly to run. The installation of a new Evo-Therm air to water heat pump will result in reduced heating costs and the resource centre will now be in a position to serve the people of Gaeltacht Mhúscraí efficiently in the future.”
Anne Reynolds, Airtricity Community Liaison Offer, commented:
“At SSE Airtricity, we’re committed to communities seeing the benefit from wind energy and wind farms, particularly in this area of the country. We’re extremely proud to have invested over half a million euro and thrilled to be helping the communities around Gaeltacht Mhúscraí, Clondrohid & Millstreet transform the local region.”