PLANS for a 50MW wind farm with up to seven turbines in Broadford are to be lodged with Clare County Council next year.
More than 35,000 homes could be powered from the proposed Lackareagh Wind Farm. EDF Renewables Ireland are behind the development, the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the French utility EDF Group which specialises in renewable energy production.
Lackareagh Wind Farm is to be based in the townlands of Killeagy and Shannaknock. EDF Renewables Ireland are to submit a planning application and environmental impact assessment report to Clare County Council in early 2023.
Subject to planning permission, the wind farm could be constructed and operational by 2026. A Community Benefit Fund commensurate with the size of the final project will be established to provide funding for local community initiatives and activities.
The project team is currently gathering wind data and mapping the environmental constraints on site which will be used to create a preliminary wind turbine layout. Detailed environmental studies will also be carried out at the site, including ecology, noise, landscape and visual assessments. The results of these studies, together with feedback gathered in consultation with local communities, will be used to determine the final wind farm layout and number of turbines. The figure of seven turbines has been mooted already, The Clare Echo understands.
Developers behind the project have told The Clare Echo they are determined to keep locals informed about the project with a public consultation event to take place as the Lackareagh Wind Farm progresses. This will be either online or in a local venue, depending on Covid-19 guidelines.
Kevin Daly, Head of Development at EDF Renewables Ireland, stated, “With the effects of the climate crisis becoming ever more visible, projects like Lackareagh Wind Farm are more important than ever. Ireland has ambitious targets to deliver 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by the end of this decade, and onshore wind is the most efficient means of achieving this”.
He added, “The project will also deliver significant investment in the area in the form of the Community Benefit Fund and rates, which will provide funding for local initiatives and activities. As the project progresses, we’ll be working closely with local residents and the wider community in East Clare, and the County Council, to keep them updated and informed on how Lackareagh Wind Farm will benefit the local area”.
