Pharma group MSD Ireland has opened a new solar project at its Ballydine plant in Co Tipperary that will generate about 7.9GWh of electricity for the site, ensuring about 20 per cent of its energy requirements will now come from renewable energy sources. The development, Ireland’s largest self-generation solar project, involved installing 7.3MW in ground-mounted solar photovoltaic cells, working with ESB’s Smart Energy Services.

The solar farm will generate enough electricity to power more than 5,000 households. However, in this case, all the power will be used at MSD’s Ballydine plant, reducing its reliance on other power sources. The company says it will cut its carbon footprint by 2,336 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year or 47,000 tonnes over the expected 20-year lifetime of the supply.

MSD has said it wants to be carbon neutral across its operations by 2025.