Ireland's first Green Energy Park planned for Arklow

Echelon Data Centres said its DUB20 campus in Arklow will become Ireland's first Green Energy Park, developed in line with the Government's Large Energy Users Action Plan.

The designation places the Wicklow data centre campus at the centre of a policy approach that links energy-intensive projects with dedicated renewable generation and measures to ease pressure on the national grid. Under the framework, Green Energy Parks pair large power users such as data centres with renewable electricity, storage and backup systems, while also seeking wider system benefits.

Echelon's plans for DUB20 include a joint 220kV substation with SSE Renewables to facilitate access to up to 800MW of offshore wind energy from Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2.

The campus is also set to include onsite solar photovoltaic systems with potential annual generation of more than 6,000MWh, alongside battery energy storage systems and two onsite energy centres.

According to Echelon, one of those energy centres will be able to export electricity to the national grid during periods of low renewable output, creating the largest grid-supporting asset in Ireland that is not a dedicated power station.

The company also plans to use hydrotreated vegetable oil, or HVO, for onsite generation, which it said could reduce emissions from that generation by up to 90%.

Policy model

The Government's plan for large energy users sets out a route for developments that rely more heavily on renewable supply, flexible or hybrid grid connections and private wire links, including corporate power purchase agreements tied to offshore wind. According to Echelon and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, DUB20 is being designed around that model.

Darragh O'Brien, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, said: "The Large Energy Users Action Plan sets out a clear pathway for how energy-intensive industries can develop in a way that strengthens Ireland's grid, accelerates renewable deployment and supports our climate ambitions."

"The Green Energy Park being developed at DUB20 is an important example of that model in action - co-locating data infrastructure with offshore wind, onsite solar, battery storage, and grid-supporting capacity. This is exactly the kind of forward-planned, sustainable development we want to see delivered under LEAP."

The DUB20 campus forms part of Echelon's wider €4.2 billion investment in the DUB20 and DUB30 facilities in Wicklow, on the former Irish Fertilisers Industries site at the Avoca River Business Park in Arklow.

Construction is under way and the project is due for completion by 2028. The site is being presented as both a regeneration scheme for the area and a test case for how Ireland may accommodate new data centre demand while pursuing climate and grid policy goals.

Economic impact

A KPMG economic impact assessment estimated that the DUB20 and DUB30 campuses could generate up to €7.5 billion in economic output during construction and €801 million a year once operational. It also found that every €1 invested could produce €1.60 in wider economic activity.

The study said the projects would support thousands of jobs during both the construction and operating phases. Those figures are likely to be watched closely in a country where data centre development has become a contentious issue because of grid constraints, energy demand and planning concerns.

Ireland has sought to balance the economic pull of digital infrastructure investment with pressure on electricity supply and climate targets. Green Energy Parks are intended to offer one route through that tension by requiring large users to show stronger links to renewable energy, storage and support for system stability.

For Echelon, the Arklow project is set to become an early example of that model in practice, combining offshore wind access, onsite solar generation, battery storage and power export arrangements in a single development.

Graeme McWilliams, Co-Founder, Echelon, said: "The establishment of Ireland's first Green Energy Park at DUB20 demonstrates how large-scale digital infrastructure can be developed responsibly and in lockstep with national climate and energy policy.

"By co-locating data centre capacity with offshore wind, onsite solar and grid-supporting infrastructure, we are delivering the exact model envisioned under the Government's LEAP framework - cutting emissions, reinforcing energy security and supporting regional economic growth."