Ireland’s first solar farm to operate under the Government’s Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (SRESS) has begun generating power in Co Cork.
The 650kW Meadhill Solar Farm in Meadstown, Kildorrery, was developed by farmer Sean Keating and installed by PV Generation.
The facility features more than 1,000 solar panels across 1.5 acres and can generate enough electricity to power around 150 local homes each year.
Sheep can continue to graze on the land beneath the solar panels, allowing the farm to maintain its agricultural use while generating renewable energy.
Energy company Flogas, part of DCC Energy, has signed a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Meadhill Solar Farm, providing a long-term route to market for the electricity generated.
Ken O’Byrne, managing director of Flogas Energy, said the agreement demonstrated how PPAs could help farmer-led renewable projects secure investment.
“What makes Meadhill Solar Farm significant is that it shows how a long-term PPA can help a farmer-led renewable project move from an idea on paper to a fully operational asset,” he said.
SRESS supports small renewable energy projects generating between 50kW and 6MW by providing guaranteed payments for electricity produced.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien said the scheme would help farmers, rural communities and smaller developers participate in Ireland’s energy transition.
“Meadhill Solar Farm shows how the right policy framework can help turn locally developed ideas into operational renewable energy projects,” he said.
The project began in 2017 as part of Keating’s plans to diversify his farm’s income and create a long-term source of revenue.
Keating said support from SRESS and the Flogas PPA had been “key to making the project bankable”.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Niall Collins said the project demonstrated how renewable energy could support the diversification of farming businesses.
The farm’s official commencement was marked at an open day hosted by the Keating family, attended by representatives from the Government, Flogas and project partners.
Photo: Flogas Energy Managing Director Ken O’Byrne, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Niall Collins, and Meadhill Solar Farm farmer and project manager Sean Keating at Meadhill Solar Farm in Kildorrery, Co. Cork
