The DUB20 data center campus in County Wicklow, due for completion in 2028, will feature battery energy storage and solar PV installations capable of generating 6,000 MWh annually. It will be Ireland’s first green energy farm, being delivered as part of the Major Energy Users Action Plan (LEAP).
Irish data center developer Echelon has started construction of a data center alongside a large-scale renewable energy infrastructure, including solar PV systems and battery energy storage.
Echelon’s DUB20 data center campus will be Ireland’s first Green Energy Park (GEP) and represents a major milestone in the implementation of the government’s Large Energy Users Action Plan (LEAP).
LEAP was introduced in January 2026 by the Ministry of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to promote domestic renewable energy developments together with major energy users. Green energy parks are part of this strategy and the government will work with major energy users to identify suitable locations for the development of GEPs that bring together renewable energy sources and infrastructure with high energy demand.
Ireland’s Utilities Regulation Commission (CRU) stipulates that data centers that want to connect to the national electricity grid must commit to obtaining 80% of the energy they use from a renewable source within six years.
The DUB20 campus, located in Arklow, Co Wicklow, will include solar PV systems with the potential to generate more than 6,000 MWh per year. The campus will also have two on-site energy centers, including one that can export power to the national grid during periods of low renewable production. The GEP will also feature co-located battery energy storage systems and will include a joint 220 kV substation developed in partnership with SSE Renewables that will facilitate access for up to 800 MW of offshore wind energy from Arklow Bank Wind Park Phase 2.
Darragh O’Brien TD, Minister for Climate, Energy and Environment, said he expects JEPs to play a key role in achieving Ireland’s climate targets while attracting investment, employment and digital infrastructure growth.
He described DUB20 as an important example of the LEAP model in action. “This is exactly the kind of forward-looking, sustainable development we want to see achieved under LEAP.”
“LEAP sets out a clear pathway for how energy-intensive industries can develop in a way that strengthens Ireland’s electricity grid, accelerates the deployment of renewable energy and supports our climate ambitions,” the minister added.
The LEAP strategy has been billed as a way to achieve Ireland’s climate targets without discouraging investment in the lucrative IT and biopharmaceutical sectors by major energy users and multinationals.
However, climate advocacy groups such as Friends of the Earth have been critical of LEAP and oppose the development of data centers. In March 2026, Friends of the Earth and other community groups appealed to the government to impose a moratorium on new data center connections until the risks they pose to Ireland’s electricity grid and electricity supply have been independently assessed. They also call for the scrapping of proposed legislation that would allow private wire connections, which they describe as potential backdoors to data center development.
Solar Ireland, the group representing Ireland’s solar business interests, also recently shared its concerns about proposed private electricity cable legislation, claiming its wording could inadvertently slow down Ireland’s booming residential rooftop PV sector. Solar Ireland previously welcomed the move to legislate for private wire connections in certain cases, highlighting the potential benefits to the national grid.
Commenting on the upcoming DUB20 project, Echelon co-founder Graeme McWilliams said it “demonstrates how large-scale digital infrastructure can be developed responsibly and in line with national climate and energy policies.”
“By co-locating data center capacity with offshore wind, on-site solar and grid support infrastructure, we are delivering the exact model envisioned in the government’s LEAP framework – reducing emissions, strengthening energy security and supporting regional economic growth,” McWilliams added. Construction of DUB20 is scheduled to be completed in 2028.
This content is copyrighted and may not be reused. If you would like to collaborate with us and reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
