Massive solar farm planned for outside Dundalk

Plans were revealed over the weekend for a massive solar farm on a 62.8 hectare (155 acres) farm in Kilcurley, just outside Dundalk. 

The proposed site in the townland of Kilcurley is just over four km outside Dundalk, has the potential to power up to 11,000 homes, should it get the go ahead. 

The company proposing to develop the solar farm is an Irish owned renewable energy company, located in Wexford, called Harmony Solar Ireland Limited.

According to details seen by the Dundalk Democrat, the company is proposing a development that could remain operational for up to 30 years. The developer says that this is because the life span of the solar panels is understood to be up to 30 years. It is also understood that once the 30 years are up, the land is to revert to agricultural land.

The solar panels will be mounted on long racks to form arrays, with the arrays laid out in rows running east to west across the site, facing south. 

Each array will reach a height of around three metres, with a maximum height of 3.2 metres. 

According to Harmony Solar, the arrays will be fixed into the ground on metal poles and will not affect the grassland around and beneath the panels. Harmony anticipates that this would allow the potential for sheep grazing during the operational phase of the solar farm.

The company has contacted residents in the vicinity of the proposed solar farm, informing them of its intentions, including plans to submit a planning application to Louth County Council.