Major West Offaly solar farm gets green light

Plans for a major solar farm in West Offaly have been given the go ahead.

Offaly County Council last week granted planning permission to Offaly Solar Energy AS Ltd for the development within the townlands of Lumcloon Falsk, Gallen, Co. Offaly.

The project proposes the installation of a solar photovoltaic farm including a battery energy storage system consisting of 48 units and the provision of a bridge crossing the Silver River.

It will comprise over 114,000 solar panels on lands of some 87.9 hectares.

The land is spread over 18 fields, several of which have been reclaimed from peatlands.

The site is predominantly within the townlands of Lumcloon, with two of the fields in the Falsk towlands.

The land is some six kilometres east of Cloghan and five kilometres south east of Ferbane.

A series of solar photovoltaic panels are to be mounted on steel support structures to a height not greater than three metres.

Also proposed are 19 transformers, some pole-mounted CCTV cameras and deer fencing.

The planning application was for a duration of ten years, with a subsequent operational lifespan of 40 years.

Offaly County Council granted planning permission on June 20, subject to 22 conditions, which have not been published yet.