Elgin Energy Applies For New Solar Farm In Offaly
As the Irish solar market digests the recent RESS announcement, a decision is due from Offaly County Council on a planning application for a new solar farm, which could potentially provide energy for some 1,000 households.
Elgin Energy Services has applied to construct a solar photovoltaic farm will cross an area of three fields of approximately 12 hectares in total, with the arrays to be connected into four invertor units and then connected to an ESB terminal substation. Electrical power is then transmitted to the national grid via the local 38kV substation in Portarlington 200m from the site boundary using a 10kV underground cable connection.
The Irish solar energy company based in Dublin says it has provided green energy for over 70,000 households and has 11 solar farms in Ireland, including in Laois. It claims that the export capacity of the solar farm will be 4.2MVA, which will supply enough energy for approximately 1,000 homes. It has applied for ten year permission and an operational period of 35 years. In a glint and glare study included in the company's application, it is stated that a negligible impact upon the safety of road users is expected. The road is single track and vehicles travel at low speeds, with traffic frequency very low, the study claims.
