SSE AIRTRICITY PRESENTS €247,000 TO 70 COMMUNITY GROUPS FROM LIMERICK AND KERRY

SSE Airtricity, Ireland’s largest provider of 100% green electricity, has presented €246,959 to community groups close to the Tournafulla, Rathcahill, Dromada, and Athea wind farms in West Limerick, and Lenamore Wind Farm in North Kerry.

Representatives of 70 local groups from West Limerick and North Kerry gathered in Halla Inse Ban, Templeglantine, Co. Limerick for this year’s presentation.

The SSE Airtricity Community Fund makes annual contributions to local community groups located around SSE wind farms. This latest presentation takes the company’s contribution in the area to almost €2 million (1,994,568) since 2008.

Athea GAA in Co. Limerick is putting this year’s funding towards energy efficient pitch lighting for the club. Paul Curry, Chairman of Athea GAA, said: “This funding will have a significant effect on energy use and will reduce costs. The project will enhance the newly drained pitch which is now playable throughout the winter and spring.”

Tarbert National School in Tarbert, Co. Kerry, is using the funding for Phase 2 window replacement for the school. Catherine Heaphy, Principal of the school, commented: “The contribution from SSE Airtricity will allow us to replace the original badly designed single glazed windows which will aid the overall appearance of the rooms by allowing more natural light in.  These new windows will help prevent energy loss and help eliminate the issues of dampness in the classrooms. Replacement of these widows will result in a significant improvement in the comfort of students in the teaching environment and a cost saving in terms of the heating output throughout the school.”

Most 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 almost €2 million. It’s great to see 70 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 operates the Community Fund on behalf of its sister company, SSE Renewables.

SSE Renewables is the largest renewable energy developer, operator and owner in Ireland’s all-island Integrated Single Electricity Market.

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. Leanamore Wind Farm in North Kerry entered full commercial operation in 2018 and consists of nine turbines which generate enough green energy to power over 10,000 homes.