Ireland energises the first solar farm under its small-scale support scheme
Victoria Shinder2 min readThe first solar farm built under the Irish government's Small-Scale Renewable Energy Support Scheme has been energised in County Cork, pv magazine reports. The scheme, known as SRESS, supports projects producing between 50 kW and 6 MW.
The 650 kW Meadhill Solar farm was developed by Cork farmer Sean Keating, who began work on it in 2017, and leaves room for sheep to graze around and under the panels. It produces enough electricity for around 150 homes in the area. Keating has signed a 15-year power purchase agreement with Flogas, an energy supplier owned by DCC.
Flogas managing director Ken O'Byrne told the magazine he sees plenty of room for further agreements under the scheme, noting that much of its capacity has yet to be allocated, and that the company is looking for other farmers, landowners and small businesses. He described projects led by farmers and communities as the scale between domestic rooftops and utility-scale plants, and called Meadhill the beginning of a wave of such projects.
The installer, PV Generation, part-funded the project. Its group marketing lead Edward Carbery said planning permission and the grid connection had been secured by the farmer before the company joined. It then completed the electrical installation and commissioning of more than 1,000 panels, arranged ground testing and a mounting structure procured from Turkey, and worked with the distribution system operator to ensure the design met the grid connection agreement. Carbery said the company is seeing strong interest from farmers looking to diversify their income.
Why it matters
Irish solar growth has come mostly from rooftops and large utility projects. A support scheme for the middle size, with a supplier willing to sign 15-year contracts, gives farmers a bankable route into generation. The eight years from start to energisation is the reminder of how long planning and grid connection still take at this scale.