First wind turbine components arrive at Yellow River site

Deliveries to the 100MW Yellow River wind farm project in Rhode, County Offaly, Ireland, have commenced with the arrival of the first wind turbine components.

Wind turbine supplier Nordex Group has been commissioned by SSE Renewables to manufacture, deliver and install a total of 29 of its N117/3600 turbines at the Yellow River project site.

First convoys of the turbine components began last week and will continue until next April. The turbine parts, including towers, nacelles, hubs and blades, are being delivered under Garda escort from Galway Port to the Yellow River site via the M6 and R400. The delivery route and programme – agreed in advance by turbine provider Nordex with Offaly County Council and An Garda Síochána – sees deliveries taking place in the early hours of the morning to ensure minimum disruption to local residents.

The Nordex N117 turbine components being installed at Yellow River Wind Farm have been shipped to Galway Port from various global destinations. Turbine installations are due to begin on-site later this month and continue through to the end of next May, ahead of the completion of the wind farm later in the year.

“This is a significant milestone for the project, and now means that we’re one step closer to delivering green electricity for the community in Offaly, the Midlands and beyond,” SSE Renewables Project Manager for Yellow River wind farm, Paul Rodgers, said.

“We are pleased to be working with SSE Renewables on the Yellow River Wind Farm and to be providing our N117/3600 turbine from our award-winning and proven DELTA series for this important renewable energy project,” noted James Lappin, Project Manager, Nordex. “With deliveries to site now underway, we are working closely with SSE Renewables, Offaly County Council, and An Garda Síochána to secure the safe and efficient delivery and installation of our turbines, whilst ensuring any disruption for local residents is kept to an absolute minimum,” he said.

SSE Renewables commenced construction on Yellow River wind farm in November 2022 and the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024. Once complete, the wind farm will generate enough low-carbon renewable energy to power 66,000 homes annually and offset 65,000 metric tonnes of carbon per annum, contributing significantly to Ireland’s 2030 renewable energy targets.