Irish Solar Energy Association appoints Declan Cullinane as new Chair

The Irish Solar Energy Industry Association (ISEA) has announced the appointment of Declan Cullinane as its new Chair. Mr. Cullinane, who is the Country Manager for BayWa r.e. in Ireland, will lead the association, working on ISEA’s main target to cover at least 20% of Ireland's electricity demand by 2030 with solar power.

Speaking upon his appointment Mr. Cullinane said:

“With over 1 GW connected and a healthy pipeline,  solar has well and truly arrived in Ireland. The sun can now power 400,000 Irish homes but this needs to dramatically increase if we are to reach our climate action goals.

“ISEA shares the government’s goal of 8 GW of solar by the end of the decade. This would be enough, on a clear day, to power the entire country. The industry is 100% behind this goal, but we now need the policies to help us get there on time. This requires delivering a national grid fit for the purpose of fighting the climate crisis, ensuring our public service is adequately funded with the people and expertise required, an efficient planning system to deliver utility scale solar projects, and continuing to support homes and businesses to invest in rooftop solar.”

Congratulating Mr. Cullinane on his appointment Conall Bolger, CEO of ISEA, said:

“I am delighted to have the support of Declan as our Chair. His experience and insight will be invaluable to ISEA as we continue to work with policymakers to support the growth of Ireland’s solar industry. It is a pivotal moment for solar. Having emerged as a key tool in Ireland’s decarbonisation journey, it is time to deliver on the evident potential.”

Declan Cullinane is the Country Manager for BayWa r.e. in Ireland with a focus on utility scale development of solar, wind and storage. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and has over 15 years’ experience in the design, commercial viability and construction of renewable energy projects across Europe, emerging markets and in Ireland. Declan is responsible for the operations and growth of the BayWa r.e. business in Ireland with a development and acquisition focus. He has been on the board of ISEA since 2021.