Cork solar farm projects to kick off as shipments land

The site where Amarenco Solar Cobh Limited intend for their solar farm at Ballynacrusha, Cobh, Co Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Some 154 containers are due to arrive from China to kick-start the development of a €40m solar farms project at eight locations in Co Cork, capable of generating the equivalent of a whole year's supply of green electricity to power 14,400 homes.

The project is to be carried out by the giant solar power company Amarenco which has completed a number of very large projects in France.

The company's chairman is Cork-based John Mullins, who is also the outgoing chairman of the Port of Cork.

Mr Mullins told the Irish Examiner he expects construction to start in April at two sites in Carrigaline, plus one each in the Inniscarra, Whitechurch, Cobh, Mallow, Kanturk, and Timoleague areas.

“In total about 40 people will be involved during construction at each of the sites. We hope to have six of them ready in August for connection to the national grid and we are currently involved in ongoing discussions with the ESB about that,” Mr Mullins said.

In total, 120,000 solar panels will be used in the projects and they will be shipped to Cork from China via Rotterdam.

Mr Mullins said each one of the solar farms will be capable of generating the equivalent of a whole year's supply of energy to 1,800 homes.

The six sites expected to be commissioned by August are the two in the Carrigaline area and the ones in Mallow, Kanturk, Inniscarra, and Whitechurch.

Executive chairman of Amarenco, John Mullins. Picture: Shane O'Neill Photography

The ones being constructed in the Cobh and Timoleague areas won't become operational until next year.

Mr Mullins said that these will all be developed to produce energy with no carbon footprint.

Amarenco has a total of 35 solar energy projects in the pipeline for Ireland, which also include ones being designed at locations in Wexford, Waterford, and Clare.

Mr Mullins added that Amarenco is also expanding its operations in North Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East.

The company has also set up offices recently in Spain and Portugal where it plans to develop more solar-generating farms.

“We are already working on a number of projects in Spain and Portugal and we have set up offices there to develop more,” he said.

The company, which has its world headquarters in Cork, has also teamed up with companies to provide solar roofing for uncovered car parks and developed solar-powered greenhouses.