Offaly councillor welcomes Bord na Mona and Amazon Strategic Partnership Agreement

Rhode based Cllr Liam Quinn has welcomed Bord na Mona’s Strategic Partnership Agreement with Amazon Web Services.

Under this agreement web providers have the opportunity to construct co-located data centres adjacent to wind and solar farms.

This partnership has the benefit of allowing the development of Data Centres without creating additional strain on the National Electricity Grid.

Said Cllr Quinn: “I believe the Eco-Energy Park at Derrygreenagh is the ideal location for this type of enterprise, which hopefully will see spin off industries attracted to this area also. The Eco Energy Park at Derrygreenagh offers a solution to large companies who wish to move their business to a sustainable, climate neutral model.

“The availability of serviced, cut away peat lands and the availability of onsite Renewable Power gives Offaly a competitive advantage over other counties who have absorbed the majority of this type of development to date.

“Bord na Mona outlined how their “Eco Energy Park offering is transforming approximately 3,000ha across Bord na Móna’s landbank in the coming years, and will be designed to enhance Ireland’s security of energy supply, supporting the delivery of several of the State’s climate, renewable energy and enterprise objectives.

“Each Park will generate sufficient renewable energy to power a number of sectors that play an important role in Ireland’s social and economic development, such as, Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical, Agrifood, ICT, Transport, Green Hydrogen derived E-Fuels and Logistics.

“On foot of this announcement, I will be writing to the Department of Climate Action and Offaly County Council to see that these developments deliver significant benefits for the communities living in this area.

“The current RESS Guidelines that govern Community Gain Funds are too restrictive and offer no opportunity to amalgamate resources. I also believe this development should be used to explore the possibilities of a district heating system, using the excess heat generated by data centres. It is also imperative that Offaly County Council identify land for additional house building projects.

“Historically, Bord na Miona and the ESB assisted in providing housing for the communities living beside them. Will policy makers now be bold enough to examine the possibility of building housing estates in our area that can use heat generated from these industries in a modern and sustainable way? “