Dawn Meats has invested €1.5m in a new solar panel project at its Grannagh site in Co Waterford.
The 18-month project involved the installation of 3,500 solar roof panels covering 8,397 square metres.
The panels will produce 1,560,000kWh of power annually - the equivalent of 40% of the annual electricity usage at the company's Grannagh site.
The energy generated is enough to power 210 homes for an entire year and is expected to deliver a return on investment in four and a half year - depending on future electricity unit price rates - Dawn Meats said.
The move is part of the company's wider plans to maximise renewable energy generation at its sites and similar solar facilities are due to be installed at other Dawn Meats plants in Ireland and the UK.
Since 2020, Dawn Meats has sourced 100% renewable energy to power its sites.
With further investment, the company is working towards on-site renewable energy generation across all sites as part of its Plan Four Zero sustainability strategy.
Tom Hyland, Dawn Meats' Engineering Director, said the new solar panels project marks a significant milestone in the company's journey to use sustainable energy and reduce our carbon footprint.
"We plan to replicate the success of this project across our sites in Ireland and the UK in the near future," he added.
