Leading international and independent solar and storage development platform, Elgin Energy have applied for 10 year permission on plans for one of the largest solar farms in the country, located on a 107 hectare site in the townlands of Cuilnacappy, Park, Moneenroe and Gortnalavey, near Creggs, Co Galway.
It is the second planning application for solar farms in the area submitted by Elgin Energy, with a previous application for a proposed development in Shannagh Beg, Glenamaddy having been approved in 2018. The proposed development for the Shannagh Beg site spanned just over nine hectares and includes the solar farm comprising of ‘photovoltaic panels’, four single storey transformer stations and one single storey ESB substation. The newest plans are substantially larger with a solar farm, 18 inverter stations, under ground cabling and internal access tracks as well as upgrading agricultural access to bypass the site and Elgin Energy have applied for an extended 10-year application for the project.
If approved, the solar farm will have an operational lifespan of 40 years and a maximum export capacity of 75MW. Applicants, Elgin Energy, are a full-service, utility scale solar and storage developer with solar and storage farms across the UK, Australia and Ireland.
In a report to support the applications within the scope of the Galway Development Plan 2022-2028, Elgin Energy then stated by securing planning permission for 23 solar farms across Ireland that they are “continuing to develop solar across the county with the aim of delivering clean renewable energy to local homes. With the right policy objectives in place, these projects can provide a significant contribution to Galway’s renewable energy targets.”
In the report Elgin Energy assessed the suitability of the sites from various viewpoints including; connectivity, environmental and tourism stating that solar farms in the area can help boost local economies and creating significant levels of employment.
“Solar can assist Galway County Council in boosting local economies, attracting new business, providing beneficial community funding, producing clean renewable energy, and making a significant contribution towards local and national climate change targets.
“Galway has the potential to support several hundred megawatts of solar across the County, creating significant levels of employment in an entirely new sector.”
County planners will make a decision on the newest application in June.
