EDF Renewables Ireland and Circle K, a petrol station and convenience store, have shared details of a corporate Power Purchase Agreement (cPPA).
Under the terms of the cPPA, all 168 sites in Circle K’s network will be powered by three EDF Renewables solar farms in Wexford and Kilkenny. The solar parks have a combined capacity of 17 MW and will fully power Circle K’s network in October 2024. Access to the clean electricity source will be provided for 12 years.
The Blusheens, Coolroe and Curraghmartin Solar Farms, which were powered in March 2023, were among Ireland’s first operational solar farms.
Ciara Foxton, Managing Director of Circle K Ireland, said: “We are pleased to today announce this agreement with EDF Renewables Ireland. As a company, we are committed to implementing environmentally sustainable practices in all our operations, and this agreement allows us to make real progress in delivering on this commitment.
“Our corporate network of 168 locations meets the needs of 1.5 million customers every week, and having all of these locations now powered by 100% Irish renewable energy from October 2024 is of great significance to our business.”
In addition, from October, Circle K will power its EV charging network with electricity generated by the same three solar farms. The fuel and convenience retailer is introducing its own EV chargers and offering charging options through strategic partnerships with Ionity, ESB and Tesla.
Foxton added: “Developing our EV charging infrastructure to support Ireland’s transition to electric vehicle use has been a core focus of ours for several years. We are extremely excited that our EV charging infrastructure will also be powered by solar energy from October 2024, giving our customers access to renewable energy.”
Ryanne Burges, director for offshore and Ireland at EDF Renewables UK and Ireland, said: “As Ireland moves towards net zero, cPPAs will play an increasingly important role in driving the clean energy transition and providing an important route to market for renewable energy projects. . We are proud to be working with one of Ireland’s leading brands and look forward to providing them with a secure source of low carbon energy for many years to come.”
