SSE Renewables, Ireland’s leading renewable energy developer, was presented with a Gold Green Apple Award for the Glenconway Wind Farm, at the House of Commons in London earlier this month.
The Green Apple Awards, for Environmental Best Practice, were launched in 1994 and have become one of the major environmental recognition schemes internationally. SSE Renewables, along with Gael Force Renewables, received the award for the construction of the 46MW, twenty turbine Glenconway site in Co Derry~Londonderry.
Glenconway recently achieved full power and forms part of the larger Slieve Kirk cluster, Northern Ireland’s first grouped wind farm development. The project involved the construction of access tracks, a metrological mast, a control building and twenty wind turbines and their foundations. Now fully operational, the wind farm is expected to power roughly 35,000 homes in the area.
Since the initiative began, SSE Renewables has placed a large emphasis on stimulating the local economy. Around 125 workers were employed in the construction of Glenconway, with more than 60% living within 25 miles of the site. SSE’s community engagement has extended to sponsoring local sports clubs and charity activities.
Glenconway Project Manager, Kevin McKernan commented: “Glenconway has been a fast moving and dynamic project because we had tight timelines, and as you can imagine the teamwork and trust elements have been huge. You have several companies working at once, so cooperation is critical. To date, it is our largest construction project in Northern Ireland, and it demonstrates our ongoing commitment to maximising the economic and environmental potential of wind energy in the region. For the work to be recognised with a lovely, shiny Green Apple trophy is fantastic, and something a whole lot of us are very proud of.”