Pharma and medtech solar projects in Ireland
9 solar installations at Irish pharma and medtech plants are listed here with size, installer and source. The largest is Eli Lilly, Kinsale at 9.6 MW. The planning register holds a further 8 applications.
Which pharma and medtech plants have installed solar?
| Site | County | Size | Installer | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly, Kinsale2021 | Cork | 9.6 MW | Enerpower, now Greenvolt Next | Greenvolt Next |
| MSD Ballydine2022 | Tipperary | 7.3 MW | ESB Smart Energy Services | ESB |
| Sanofi, Waterford2025 | Waterford | 4 MW | Greenvolt Next | Greenvolt Next |
| Guerbet, Dublin2022 | Dublin | 2.4 MW | Enerpower by Greenvolt | Greenvolt Next |
| Astellas, Damastown2026 | Dublin | 2.2 MW | Greenvolt Next | Greenvolt Next |
| Temmler Ireland, Kerry | Kerry | 1.2 MW | Greenvolt Next | Greenvolt Next |
| Dexcom, Athenry | Galway | 1.2 MW | OHK Energy | |
| Cook Medical, Limerickplanned | Limerick | 1 MW | Not named | MassDevice |
| Abbott, Kilkenny2024 | Kilkenny | 600 panels | Not named | IDA Ireland |
Why does solar suit pharma and medtech plants?
Plants run around the clock with a steady base load, and most have spare land beside the factory, so ground-mounted arrays of 1 MW and more are common.
- Eli Lilly, Kinsale: Two phases with 38 inverters; phase 1 (5.6 MW) was described in 2021 as the largest solar installation in the Republic.
- MSD Ballydine: Billed as the largest self-generation solar project in Ireland when it opened in September 2022.
- Sanofi, Waterford: More than 5,700 panels and 10 inverters; reported delivered December 2025 per a press snippet.
- Guerbet, Dublin: Ground array on company land at an API manufacturing site; the source page CO2 figure looks out of line and needs checking.
- Astellas, Damastown: Built in four months with 5 inverters; the news item is dated May 2026.
What costs and savings have been published?
These are the figures the business or its installer gave. They have not been audited.
- Eli Lilly, Kinsale9.6 MW
- Cost
- $5 million (phase 1 only, snippet)
- Share of use
- 20%
- Output
- almost 6 GWh (phase 1 only, snippet)
Source: Greenvolt Next
- MSD Ballydine7.3 MW
- Share of use
- up to 20%
- Output
- about 7.9 GWh a year
Source: ESB
- Sanofi, Waterford4 MW
- Share of use
- around 20%
- Output
- about 3.2 GWh a year
Source: Greenvolt Next
- Guerbet, Dublin2.4 MW
- Share of use
- about 18%
- Output
- about 2 million kWh a year
Source: Greenvolt Next
- Astellas, Damastown2.2 MW
- Share of use
- 27%
Source: Greenvolt Next
- Dexcom, Athenry1.2 MW
- Share of use
- a third at peak (radio blurb)
- Output
- estimated 1.0 to 1.1 GWh a year
Source: LinkedIn
What is in the planning register?
The register has 8 applications for solar at this kind of premises, and 7 were granted. The named sites are below, largest first. "Granted" is permission to build. A scheme is shown as built only where a published report says so.
| Site | County | Size applied for | Status | Planning record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEO Laboratories | Dublin | 1.3 MW | Invalid application | 2026, ref WEB1995/26 |
| Zimmer Biomet | Galway | 820 kW | Under construction | 2022, ref 2260104 |
| Takeda Ireland | Wicklow | 636 kW | Granted | 2023, ref 2360076 |
| Recordati Ireland | Cork | 1,132 m² | Granted | 2022, ref 22/5411 |
| Helsinn Birex | Dublin | 1,444 m² | Granted | 2020, ref FW20A/0039 |
| Astellas Ireland | Dublin | 10,400 m² | Built | 2025, ref FW25A/0042E |
| Medtronic | Galway | 1,000 panels | Granted | 2021, ref 21394 |
| Pfizer, Newbridge | Kildare | 1,400 m² | Granted | 2018, ref 18781 |
Where to go next
- All commercial solar projects, across every sector
- Commercial solar panel cost by system size
- Commercial solar grants for pharma and medtech sites