More than 200 objections to planned battery energy storage facility in Cork

Council granted 10-year planning permission to the project

The offices of An Coimisiún Pleanála. A grant of permission to a battery energy storage system (ESS) facility near the town of Newmarket in North Cork is facing objections.

Locals are contesting a grant of permission to plans for a battery energy storage system (ESS) facility near the town of Newmarket in North Cork.

This follows the Newmarket Environmental Protection Group, Andrew and Brenda Hourigan and Con O'Connor, and Maura Cronin O’Connor lodging third party appeals with An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) against the decision of Cork County Council to grant a 10-year planning permission to Neoen Renewables Ireland Limited.

Over 200 objections were lodged against the scheme for Curraduff, Newmarket, Co Cork and in their appeal, Con O'Connor and Maura Cronin O’Connor have told ACP: “The Government need to stall the fast movement of both renewable energy and data centre projects and look at the climate crisis in its entirety, as well as the socioeconomic impact of this reckless growth in two industries that are in their infancy. Both have negative impacts on the environment.”

In their appeal, the Newmarket Environmental Protection Group claims that “the current application presents significant concerns regarding public safety, environmental protection, the integrity of the rural landscape”.

The appeal states that “several communities across Ireland, and in County Cork in particular, have raised significant concerns as to the overrun of industrial developments posing as'"strategic infrastructure for renewable energy' when there are significant risks unaddressed within the planning proposals”.

The group states that “there is also a lack of planning as to where these developments are situated and how many developments are required in Ireland”. The group said their appeal is based on insufficient detail provided regarding safety measures for the Battery Energy Storage System, potential environmental hazards, and the lack of demonstrated compliance with international safety standards.

Neoen Renewables Ireland lodged the plans for the battery energy storage system (ESS) facility after deciding not to proceed with a permitted solar project for the site.

In planning documentation lodged with the council consultants for the firm, Galetech Energy Services stated that during the post-consent project development process for the solar farm; it was determined that the construction and operation of the solar farm was no longer economically viable.

Galetech state that during periods of high renewable energy production or when electricity demand is low, ESSs can support and stabilise the network by removing, and storing, excess electricity; which can, in turn, be returned to the network during times of lower renewable energy generation.

Galetech state that an assessment of the proposal has concluded that any likely adverse environmental effects from the ESS “can be adequately mitigated such that there will be no significant environmental effects”.