Airtricity appoints NI chief executive

Irish green energy company airtricity has announced the appointment of Mr Mark Ennis to the new position of chief executive airtricity Northern Ireland.

Mr Ennis has most recently been chief executive at Boxmore International, a global manufacturer of specialised printed and plastic packaging with operations in the Republic, Britain, France, Germany, South Africa and China.

He will be based in Belfast and will spearhead the company's efforts to become Northern Ireland's largest producer of green energy.

The company has one windfarm site operational in Cavan, which is supplying power to a number of customers across the Border. However, from early next year a second site in Cavan will become operational, also supplying the six counties.

"At the moment only about 2 per cent of Northern Ireland's power comes from renewable sources but the government have said that by 2010 they want that up to 15 per cent so we see [Northern Ireland\] as a growth market," he said.

He added that, as well as the two windfarm sites in Cavan, the company is also working on gaining planning permission for "half a dozen" windfarm sites in the North. Once those sites come on stream, airtricity hopes to provide Northern Ireland with around 7.5 per cent of its total electricity every year.