Plans for proposed Knockanure solar and energy storage installation shared with community

Lightsource bp, a global leader in the financing, development and management of solar energy projects, will be outlining their proposal to fund and develop a 193MWac solar and 149MW energy storage installation on 599 acres at Knockanure, County Kerry, at a community information event on Thursday 17 October 2024. Lightsource bp is inviting residents from the surrounding area to attend the community information event, where further information will be made available on the proposals.

The community information event will be held in Knockanure Community Centre, and residents are invited to drop in at any time between 2pm and 7pm. The Lightsource bp team will be on hand to discuss the planning proposal and gather feedback from the local community.

The proposed solar and energy storage project will provide enough renewable energy to power the equivalent of around 45,500 homes, saving approximately 77,800 tonnes of carbon emissions every yea – which is equal to taking over 39,000 large family cars off the road.

As well as generating clean energy, Lightsource bp’s projects are designed so that they can help act as a haven for local wildlife. A bespoke Biodiversity Management Plan, developed alongside the planning application, will ensure the site is enhanced as much as possible for local wildlife. As part of this initiative, our planting, seeding and habitat creation plans will focus on native species. Lightsource bp is also eager to hear from wildlife enthusiasts and local schools who may be interested in playing a role in the ongoing monitoring of wildlife on the site, foster stronger community involvement and engagement with the project.

Lightsource bp is committed to supporting the rural economy and benefitting local communities, and this site has been designed with these priorities in mind. The proposed layout for the Knockanure project has been designed so that most of the open grassland on the solar site will be suitable for grazing small livestock, allowing the land to retain the potential for agricultural use. Wide grassy avenues will be left between the rows of solar panels to reduce shading and optimise the amount of sunlight each row of panels receives. This will leave around 70 percent of the solar installation as open grassland, ideal for grazing livestock, while the panels provide shade, shelter and protection for sheep, geese or chickens.

In addition, the proposed fields have been carefully selected as they are well-screened by local topography which would help limit surrounding views of the solar installation.

Aidan Collins, Head of Environmental Planning Ireland & UK, Lightsource bp, said:

“Solar energy is not only renewable, but it also generates locally produced electricity. Solar and energy storage are essential for efficiently and sustainably meeting the global rise in energy demand efficiently and more sustainably, which is a core aspect of Lightsource bp’s mission.

We want to ensure that local communities around the proposed location have all the information they need about this project. We’re holding this information event to speak to elected representatives, local businesses and residents and to gather feedback. It’s also a great opportunity for the community to ask questions about the project or solar and energy storage in general.”

Residents can learn more about the project online here, or by getting in touch with the Lightsource bp team via info@lightsourcebp.com quoting ‘Knockanure’.