Solar farms in Ireland are an extremely important aspect of Ireland’s 2030 renewable energy targets, helping to reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.
The number of commercial solar projects over 1 MW in Ireland doubled from 12 in 2023 to 24 so far in 2024, and this number will continue to rise in the months and years ahead.
Solar farms are much less intrusive than wind farms and also create jobs in the community, which makes them a much more acceptable option for many rural communities.
The key takeaways:
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What is a Solar Farm?
Solar farms are a huge collection of solar PV panels across many acres of land. These photovoltaic panels convert sunlight to electricity each day, which reduces the amount of energy sourced from burning fossil fuels.
Solar farms are usually located in areas with good exposure to sunlight and minimal shading – and Ireland gets plenty of sunlight to produce solar electricity.
The electricity generated by the panels in a solar farm can be used to power homes and businesses or be supplied to the national grid.
The Irish government is encouraging energy developers to establish solar PV farms through incentives.
How important are Solar Farms in Ireland?
Solar farms have played a key role in the meteoric rise in solar PV capacity in Ireland. In 2015, Ireland had just 2 MW of solar PV capacity and this rose to over 1,185 MW by mid-2024.
This is enough to cover the electricity demand of around 250,000 homes each year and capacity was expected to reach 1,600 MW by the end of the year.
Utility scale solar power projects of more than 5 MW increased to 594 MW this year – meaning these large solar farms contribute to over half of Ireland’s overall capacity.
Two thirds of utility scale solar projects in Ireland are connected to the transmission system which is managed by EirGrid.
Solar Farms – Pros and Cons
How much do solar farms cost to install?
A 10 MW solar farm can cost over €10 million! This would comprise around 20,000 solar panels of 500W.
As of August 2024, there are 13 solar farms over 5MW in Ireland. Each of these projects would have cost about €5 million to implement.
It is for this reason that large-scale solar projects are undertaken by energy developers such as:
Case Study: Ireland’s Largest Solar Farm
Co. Meath’s Ballymacarney Solar Farm is Ireland’s largest solar farm with a capacity of 200 MWp.
Developed by Statkraft, Europe’s largest renewable energy generator, this large solar farm comprises some 750,000 solar PV panels across 1,000 acres.
This provides renewable energy to over 40,000 homes, meaning the farm plays an important role in advancing the nation’s renewable energy objectives.
As well as generating green electricity, Ballymacarney Farm also creates job opportunities, and engages the local community through learning programmes.
Statkraft works closely with local stakeholders, and hosts educational programs such as workshops to ease any concerns.
Looking to the future, the farm has the potential for expansion, continuing to play a pivotal role in supporting Ireland’s 2030 climate goals.
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