UK independent power producer (IPP) Elgin has acquired the Blackhall Solar Farm in County Meath, in the Republic of Ireland, from German energy supplier GP Joule.
Elgin plans to invest around €200 million (US$227.3 million) into the development and construction of the project, which will have a capacity of around 200MW and that Elgin described as at the “late-stage” of development. The IPP added that approval and grid connections for the project are already in place.
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The company said that the deal would increase its capacity eligible for participation in the sixth round of Ireland’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), a key facilitator of the Irish government’s goal to increase renewable generation to 80% of the country’s electricity production by 2030. Figures from Irish grid operator Eirgrid show that renewable energy accounted for 29% of domestic electricity generation in August, up 58% from the same period in 2025.
The sixth round of the RESS is the most recent edition of the Irish auction system and the first that will incorporate non-price criteria requirements under the EU’s Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) and separate pots for onshore wind and solar PV projects. Eirgrid plans to announce the results of the auction next January.
“As we continue to grow our portfolio of owned renewable energy assets, projects like Blackhall will play an important role in supporting Ireland’s decarbonisation ambitions, energy security and long-term economic growth,” said Elgin CEO Dermot Kelleher, who described the Blackhall project as a “significant addition” to the company’s portfolio.
Elgin has advanced a number of solar PV projects across the UK and Ireland this year, including starting construction on a 112MW solar PV portfolio and securing over half a billion dollars for a 1GW pipeline of solar projects and battery energy storage systems (BESS).
GP Joule, meanwhile, has shifted its focus to its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work in mainland Europe, starting construction on a 96.4MW solar PV project in Bremerhaven, Germany, in April.
