Solar Farms Ireland

Here are some updates on Irish Solar Farms which are either currently licenced to generate, or licenced for construction in Ireland.

Some of our previous articles relating to solar parks include a summary of Onshore RESS 2, and Ireland’s Solar Landscape. which are available on our News Feed here.

You can also read our main Solar Farm Ireland page here.

Licenced Solar Farms in Ireland

Some Solar Farm developments which are currently licenced by Ireland’s regulator, CRU, include projects for EDF Renewables, Amarenco Solar Limited, Power Capital Renewable Energy Limited, Neoen International SAS, Statkraft AS and Highfield Solar Limited.

The last two companies are constructing some of the largest solar farms currently licenced to generate electricity in Ireland, located in County Wexford and County Meath.

Other counties with licenced solar farms include Cork, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth, Tipperary and Wicklow.

Neoen International SAS are currently licenced for three smaller solar parks in Ireland, at Millvale (Wicklow), Hortland and Hilltown (Kildare).

Aswell as being the most populated areas, the eastern and southern counties of Ireland experience higher levels of solar insolation, and therefore present a better financial return for solar farm developments.

Highfield Solar Limited have developments at Rosspile, County Wexford and Gillinstown, County Meath totalling over 230 MWp

Largest Solar Farms in Ireland

We have selected some of the larger projects currently going through the process.

The largest developer of solar farms in Ireland, is Highfield Solar Limited with two significant projects of 114 MWp and a smaller project currently licenced for construction by the regulator.

Rosspile Solar Farm in County Wexford and Gillinstown Solar Farm in County Meath are two of Highfield Solar’s projects under development. Each of these solar parks is sized at 114 MWp and will cover several hundred acres when completed.

According to a recent statement from ESB Networks, Gillinstown Solar Farm was energised in December 2022.

Statkraft have developments at Gallanstown, and Blundelstown, County Meath totalling almost 200 MWp

Statkraft plans to be another significant player in the Irish solar market, with a 119 MWp and an 80 MWp project currently under construction in County Meath.

Statkraft, who claim to be Europe’s largest renewables developer, will also operate the solar farms when completed.

Solar Farm Development

There are still a lot of opportunities in the market for solar farm developments.

A recent market update from Ireland’s transmission system operator, Eirgrid, have highlighted ongoing shortfalls in Ireland’s electricity generation due to retiring assets, but also due to approved projects dropping out of the process.

Eirgrid have recently announced over 630 MW of previously awarded capacity has dropped out of Ireland’s electricity market.

It’s a figure barely covered by the 635 MW of solar projects currently licenced for construction and does nothing to cope with multiplying consumption.

The market indicates that significant projects are required to cope with future electricity demand which the regulator conservatively estimates may expand by almost 40% in the next few years to 2031.

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