Pictured (L-R): Declan Ryan, CEO of Project Foundry, and John Reilly, Head of Renewables at Bord na Móna, with the Public Enterprise of the Year Award.
At the 51st annual Business & Finance Awards, BnM won the Public Enterprise of the Year Award. The accolade recognises organisations that have delivered outstanding service, innovation, and impact over the past two years, demonstrating excellence in governance, operations, and the creation of sustainable public value.
By Héloïse Chaudot
What was the biggest challenge your organisation faced this year, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge this year was embedding our transformation from a legacy peat business into a fully operational renewable energy leader, while sustaining momentum as we moved decisively from capability-building to delivery at a national scale. With approximately 1GW of renewable capacity now operational and a 5GW pipeline in development, the priority has been to execute increasingly complex projects efficiently, safely and consistently, while maintaining strong governance, environmental responsibility and meaningful community engagement.
This has taken on added significance as Ireland works to meet its climate ambitions while also addressing the structural drivers of energy costs. Ireland’s electricity system remains heavily reliant on gas, which continues to set the wholesale electricity price around 80% of the time. Accelerating the delivery of indigenous renewable energy and the infrastructure to support it is therefore central to reducing that reliance and improving affordability over time.
Strong project controls, clear accountability and robust risk management frameworks have helped to ensure that ambition translates into delivery. At the same time, partnership-led delivery remains central to our model. Working closely with partners such as ESB and SSE Renewables allows us to accelerate progress and deliver infrastructure that is critical to Ireland’s energy security and climate goals. Continued investment in the communities where we operate also ensures long-term value creation alongside infrastructure delivery.
How does this award reflect your current strategic priorities, and how will it shape your next 12 to 24 months?
This award reflects BnM’s strategic focus on delivering renewable energy at scale, while maximising public value. Recognition as Public Enterprise of the Year affirms that our approach, combining large-scale infrastructure delivery, innovation, strong governance and community benefit, is delivering tangible outcomes for Ireland’s energy system and economy.
It also reflects a growing recognition that renewables are central not only to decarbonisation, but to making electricity more affordable over the long term. Increasing the share of renewables on the system reduces exposure to volatile imported fuel and supports greater price stability for households and enterprises.
Over the next 12 to 24 months, we will continue to advance our 5GW pipeline, bringing additional onshore wind, solar and battery energy storage projects through planning, development and construction. It also strengthens our resolve to deepen collaboration, invest in enabling infrastructure, and maintain transparency and accountability as we support Ireland’s climate, energy security and competitiveness objectives.
What role does innovation play in your success, and can you share an example from the last year?
Innovation is integral to how BnM delivers system-level impact, ensuring that renewable energy is not only generated, but integrated efficiently, reliably and at scale across Ireland’s energy system. This integration is essential to reducing system costs by allowing lower-cost renewable power to displace more expensive fossil fuel generation. It underpins our ability to deliver flexible solutions that support both decarbonisation and economic growth.
A strong example is our Energy Parks initiative, which reflects our strategy of maximising the value of land and infrastructure. This model co-locates renewable generation, battery storage and large energy users on single sites, enabling clean power to be supplied directly to industry while reducing pressure on the wider grid. Securing Amazon Web Services as the first participant in this initiative demonstrated both the credibility of the model and its potential to support enterprise, energy resilience and regional development.
How do you see your organisation contributing to the broader Irish business landscape and community now that you have received this recognition?
BnM’s contribution extends well beyond renewable electricity generation. Through our large-scale renewable projects, targeted investment in the communities where we operate, and enterprise supports such as our Accelerate Green business accelerator programme, we are helping to create jobs, attract investment and enable a just transition.
By accelerating the shift away from imported fossil fuels and towards indigenous renewables, we are also supporting a more competitive and affordable energy system for Irish businesses.
This recognition reinforces our position as a trusted public enterprise and long-term partner for business, government and communities. It strengthens our commitment to ensuring that the transition to a low-carbon economy delivers lasting social, environmental and economic benefits, supporting Ireland’s green economy today and for future generations.
Which external factors had the biggest influence on your organisation this year?
Ireland’s climate commitments and growing demand for clean electricity from industry were the most significant external influences in 2025. National targets for renewable electricity and decarbonisation have shaped both the scale and urgency of our development programme, while increasing demand from enterprise has reinforced the importance of delivering renewable power alongside flexible solutions such as battery storage and co-located infrastructure.
At the same time, sustained pressure on electricity costs has sharpened the focus on delivery. Heavy reliance on gas continues to expose Ireland to international price volatility, reinforcing the economic importance of accelerating renewable generation and grid investment to reduce costs over time.
These factors have driven a strong focus on system planning, partnership and long-term delivery, ensuring that renewable infrastructure supports competitiveness, resilience and sustainability across the economy.
How are you balancing service delivery with innovation and sustainability commitments?
We balance delivery, innovation and sustainability by embedding them into every stage of decision-making. Renewable projects are developed with a clear focus on long-term value, strong governance, safety and positive community outcomes, alongside cost and schedule discipline.
With 1GW of renewable capacity operational, continued investment in innovation such as battery storage solutions and our Energy Parks project, and over €1 million invested annually in community initiatives, sustainability is embedded in how BnM operates. This integrated approach ensures that innovation strengthens service delivery, supports system resilience and reinforces our role as a responsible, high-performing public enterprise delivering for Ireland.
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