The Applicant and Wider Team
Harmony Solar Rathkeale Ltd, the applicant, is owned by Harmony Solar Ireland Ltd and ESB Solar (Ireland) Ltd.
Harmony Solar Ireland (https://harmonysolar.ie/) is an independent Irish renewable energy developer with extensive experience in the development and management of renewable energy projects.
ESB Solar (Ireland) Ltd is a member of the ESB group of companies (www.esb.ie).
Harmony Solar Rathkeale Ltd has commissioned Fehily Timoney (www.fehilytimoney.ie/), an Irish engineering and planning consultancy, to provide a design for the solar farm and prepare a planning application.
The Proposed Solar Farm
The solar farm will comprise PV panels, ground mounted frames, and associated ancillary infrastructure. Solar panels will be 2 m by 1 m panels joined together on a metal frame mounting structure. The solar panels will be installed in multiple rows and will be connected to inverters and transformer modules. Panel arrays will be a maximum of 3.2 m high.
It is proposed that electricity will be exported to the national electricity grid through a connection to the existing Rathkeale 110 kV substation, located adjacent to the south-eastern boundary of the proposed solar farm site.
The solar farm will be surrounded by secure fencing. Existing field boundaries will be maintained and hedgerows may be enhanced in order to visually screen the project from public view, where possible. A number of biodiversity zones and cultural heritage zones will be included within the solar farm.
The proposed access to the solar farm will be off the existing local road, approximately 100 m west of the existing entrance to the Rathkeale 110 kV substation
The project is likely to compete in a Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) auction to sell the renewable electricity generated to the electricity grid.
A key feature of RESS is a Community Benefit Fund, through which a portion of the project income will be allocated to local communities for the 15 year duration of the RESS contract. The fund can be used for the wider economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of the local community. The fund size is dependent upon the size of the solar farm and the quantity of energy produced.