July 18, 2012 View all news The Irish TimesPAMELA NEWENHAM and DOMINIC COYLEINTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE energy group Element Power plans an €8 billion investment in Ireland after signing a contract with the UK national grid.The company proposes building 40 new wind farms in midland counties and channelling the energy to the UK market via dedicated sub-sea cables. It says the initiative will create 2,000 long-term jobs and as many as 10,000 jobs in the construction phase.Element Power Ireland said it had signed a "firm grid connection of 3,000 megawatts" with National Grid UK.A "firm" connection means the UK power market can take the output at all times, the firm said. This would enable £1.2 billion worth of energy exports from the Irish market, it added.Read more Categorised in: Climate Change Energy