SSE Airtricity presents over €0.25 million to 62 community groups from Limerick and Kerry

SSE Airtricity, Ireland’s largest provider of 100% green electricity, has presented €260,000 to community groups close to its Tournafulla, Rathcahill, Dromada, and Athea Wind Farms in West Limerick, and Leanamore Wind Farm in North Kerry.

This year’s Community Fund has increased by over €59,000 from 2018, following Leanamore Wind Farm entering full commercial operation last year. Representatives of 62 local groups from West Limerick and North Kerry gathered in Halla Inse Ban, Templeglantine, Co. Limerick for this year’s presentation.

Through its Community Fund programme, SSE Airtricity makes annual contributions to local community groups located near its wind farms. This latest presentation takes the company’s contribution in the area to over €1.6 million since 2008.

Ardagh District Recreational & Sporting Co. Ltd. in Co. Limerick is putting this year’s funding towards energy efficient lighting around the new walkway, the new car park area, and ball wall. Deirdre Ambrose, Secretary of Ardagh District Recreational &Sporting Co. Ltd., said: “This funding will have a significant effect on energy use and will reduce costs.  The project will be a community investment and will benefit over 30 sporting groups including the local school.”

Tarbert Comprehensive School in Tarbert, Co. Kerry, is using the funding for Phase 2 window replacement for the school. Richard Prendiville, Principal of the school, commented: “The contribution from SSE Airtricity will allow us to replace the original badly designed windows which will aid the overall appearance of the rooms by allowing more natural light in.  These new windows will prevent energy loss and increase overall efficiency while reducing the amount of fossil fuel the school uses.  The school has recently been awarded a green flag and the Green Flag Committee are delighted with this funding as energy efficiency within the school can now be increased with the new windows.”

The majority of this year’s recipient groups are putting the funding towards improving their energy efficiency measures, which SSE Airtricity strongly supports.

Anne Reynolds, SSE Airtricity Community Development Officer, said: “SSE Airtricity is really proud to be making a difference in communities across West Limerick and North Kerry. We’ve been presenting communities here with funding since 2008 and this latest presentation brings our total funding in the area to over €1.6 million. It’s great to see 62 important and forward-thinking local projects receive funding this year. As always, we’re delighted to see so much of the money going towards improvements in energy efficiency, which is something we always encourage at SSE Airtricity.”

SSE Airtricity’s Tournafulla, Rathcahill, Dromada and Athea Wind Farms in West Limerick have a combined capacity of over 100MW and are capable of powering over 50,000 homes in the region.

SSE Airtricity’s Leanamore Wind Farm in North Kerry entered full commercial operation in 2018 and generates enough green energy to power over 10,000 homes.