With the development of the joint venture between green energy company SSE Renewables and Irish-owned data center owner and operator Ecclon Data Centers, Arclo expects to create up to 250 jobs in the coming years.

They agreed to develop a joint 220 kV substation at the Avoca River Business Park in Co. Vikloten.

The new infrastructure will help develop Ireland’s first large-scale offshore wind farm off the coast of Wicklow with an export capacity of 520 MW.

It will also power Ecclon’s existing 100 MW data center in Arklov.

The joint venture was the first of its kind in Ireland to agree to develop an offshore wind farm and a data center for grid infrastructure.

Substation development is expected to require an investment of approximately $ 50 million.

Upon completion, the proposed offshore wind farm and data center will be connected directly to the Irish National Grid via a new shared substation.

Project backers say up to 80 new jobs will be created during the substation’s construction.

When the projects are completed, the data center will support 90 full-time working roles, and 80 full-time jobs will be created locally to support the day-to-day operation of the offshore wind farm.

“This announcement is welcome for Arclo. It will not only provide new jobs but also place Arclo in the heart of the green tech sector,” said Taoist Michael Martin.

“This collaboration between renewable energy and technology will ensure that the major decarbonization targets contained in the climate action plan are met and that this is a model that can be demonstrated to other communities across the country,” Martin said.