For a quarter of a century Black & Veatch has supported the development of Ireland’s critical infrastructure.
Our contribution began in the late 1990s as design-and-build contractor for Dublin’s new wastewater treatment works at Ringsend. Subsequently Black & Veatch has taken a leading role in the protection of communities like Dublin, Dundalk and Ardee from flooding.
Today our people are helping Ireland address the opportunities and challenges posed by the drive to decarbonise. Originally based at the Irish Maritime & Energy Resource Cluster in Cork, marine energy was our renewables team’s initial focus. We have grown in scope and moved location since.
Ireland has significant wind energy potential, with the total offshore wind resource alone being sufficient to comfortably meet the country’s electricity needs. Black & Veatch is working with both Irish partners and overseas companies investing in Ireland’s renewables sector to help develop that resource.
Bringing a trio of onshore windfarms, in counties Sligo and Donegal, to financial close for international renewables investor ING Bank is a good example.
“Globally Black & Veatch has supported more than 56 gigawatts (GW) of wind projects. As well as their own expertise, the team had ready access to a wealth of international experience, so local resource constraints were not a challenge,” said Fraser Anderson, the company’s head of onshore wind energy.
Nurturing the hydrogen economy
Working with an Irish developer Black & Veatch has undertaken the Levelised Cost of Energy modelling vital to informing the viability - and advancing the development – of an 985 megawatt (MW) wind project located off the northwest coast.
The initial phase uses both floating and fixed wind turbines to power onshore electrolysis of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen can be used as zero-carbon fuel, feedstock and energy carrier.
As a result, it is a cornerstone of many decarbonisation strategies. “For a project like this the fullest analysis can only come from advisors with substantial fixed and floating offshore wind expertise, as well as strong green hydrogen production experience,” said Andy Jones, Black & Veatch’s head of offshore engineering.
“This is vital to give developers and investors the confidence to proceed with these essential decarbonisation projects,” he added.
Irish green hydrogen project
And this is not Black & Veatch’s sole Irish green hydrogen project. Mercury Renewables is developing one of Ireland’s first co-located onshore wind farm and hydrogen electrolysis plants.
A 75-MW wind farm will power an electrolyser plant generating green hydrogen. Black & Veatch’s initial role in the project has been the feasibility studies that inform all aspects of the hydrogen development.
But as Ireland seeks to decarbonise, new conventional baseload capacity is also necessary to ensure a resilient electricity supply. “Gas offers a logical bridge for reliable, flexible baseload generation as Ireland transitions to renewable energy,” according to Phil Hirst, Black & Veatch’s head of gas, waste-to-energy and nuclear.
“To this end we are currently delivering balance of plant services for three gas turbine projects that will fulfil this role for the greater Dublin area,” he added
So, across the piece, Black & Veatch’s support for Ireland’s critical infrastructure continues undiminished.