A leading food and nutrition company has announced a major milestone in its transition to renewable energy and lower-carbon manufacturing at one of its Kilkenny plants.
Tirlán’s been successful in commissioning a 6.5 hectar, 8MWp ground-mounted solar farm in partnership with ESB’s Smart Energy Services and aided by Grange Solar, at its multi-purpose integrated dairy processing facility in Ballyragget.
The behind-the-meter, self-generation project allows for all electricity produced to be consumed directly on site – it’s expected to generate about 7.6GWh of clean, renewable electricity annually, meeting about a third of the imported electricity demand and significantly reducing reliance on grid power.
John Murphy, Chairperson Tirlán, said the project represents a significant step forward in strengthening the energy resilience of the co‑operative’s largest processing site, noting; “This solar farm is a major investment in clean, indigenous energy and a key milestone in our journey to decarbonise operations at Ballyragget. It will deliver long‑term environmental and economic benefits while reducing exposure to energy volatility”.
Lisa Koep, Chief ESG Officer Tirlán, said the project demonstrates how large‑scale renewable solutions can be integrated into energy‑intensive manufacturing environments. “This investment builds on the success of our FarmGen roof-top solar programme and complements wider initiatives to reduce emissions across our facilities and supply base. As a farmer‑owned co‑operative, collaboration and long‑term thinking are central to how we address climate challenges,” she said.
The Ballyragget processing facility is one of the largest multi‑purpose integrated dairy plants in Europe, employing more than 360 people and processing significant volumes of milk, whey and cream annually. Tirlán has invested over €180 million in developing and upgrading the site over the past decade, including earlier investments in energy‑efficient technologies such as combined heat and power.
