SSE Renewables is launching a public consultation for a 21MW solar plus 10MW battery storage project in south-east Ireland.
The developer plans to develop a co-located project at its existing operational Richfield Wind Farm at Bridgetown in County Wexford.
Members of the local community are being invited to attend a public consultation event on 26 January at the Stella Maris Centre, Kilmore Quay in Wexford, to find out more about the proposed development.
SSE Renewables recently launched a fleet-wide assessment of sites where battery storage systems and solar generation technology could be co-located with existing onshore wind farms.
Co-locating solar and battery technology near each other at wind farm sites has been identified as an important step in supporting the production of clean homegrown energy in Ireland and the UK.
Richfield Wind Farm in Wexford has been in operation since 2006.
The proposed solar farm would be located in the townlands of Hooks and Yoletown while the proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) would be co-located adjacent to the existing substation at Richfield Wind Farm.
The development of the project will be subject to changes in Ireland’s current grid connection consenting regime to allow for hybrid technology grid connections to facilitate co-location of generation sources.
Heather Donald, Onshore Renewables Development and Construction Director at SSE Renewables, said: “The proposed development can generate new solar power for immediate use, while also storing surplus renewable energy in a battery storage system for use when it’s needed most.
“The result is that this co-location project at Richfield can help export greater levels of renewable energy output to the national grid and contribute to Ireland’s target of generating 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
“Innovative projects such as this can really deliver for Ireland’s climate goals.”
She added that while some regulatory hurdles still need to be overcome to allow for hybrid grid connections, SSE Renewables is ready to work closely with government and regulatory stakeholders “so that we can remove any remaining barriers and support the delivery of important solar and battery technology projects co-located at wind farm sites”.
Following the completion of the public consultation, SSE Renewables intends to submit an application for planning permission to Wexford County Council in the spring.