Kildare County Council grants permission for 120 MW solar farm at Coolcarrigan, Timahoe West, Co. Kildare

In context

It is one of 19 solar farm applications Kildare County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 349 nationally. Of the 572 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 92% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 20 September 2023. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Kildare County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

for an amendment to the granted planning (Planning Reference: 221203) which comprised consent for a solar PV energy development and battery storage compound at Coolcarrigan, Timahoe West, Co. Kildare. Proposed amendments include; (1) An increase in the quantum of energy export that the solar park can produce from 80MW to up to 120MW (2) an amendment to the wording of the battery energy storage from 80MWh to up to 80MW, which amends the power output from the energy capacity to the rated power, to provide battery energy storage to greater flexibility in how it imports and exports the electricity to the grid (3) clarification of adjacent permitted development 15/1172 (extension of duration under 20/1052) increasing the energy export from 15MW to upp to 19.4MW)