Plans have been announced today for the construction of the country's largest community wind farm. It will be developed on Mount Callan in Co. Clare, in the West of Ireland.
The project represents an investment of € 200 million and will be capable to meet the energy needs of all of Co. Clare and half of Co. Limerick.
Thirty local farming families will have the biggest shareholding in the new company - West Clare Renewable Energy - which is developing the project.
They collectively own more than 3000 acres of mostly elevated land on Mount Callan, located between Ennis and Miltown Malbay. There they plan to construct 30 wind turbines with a production capacity of three megawatt.
300 new jobs are expected to be created during the two-and-a-half year construction phase.
Efforts to develop a wind farm in the Mount Callan area have been ongoing for over 15 years, but they had not been successful. Only the combined input of so many local families has made the project now feasible.
Landowner John Talty says that the community wind farm is designed to "create long-term sustainable employment, reverse depopulation in the area, and help struggling farmers secure an alternative form of income".
The project also meets the government's plans to invest in cleaner energy sources.
One can only welcome such a brilliant project with open arms, applaud the entrepreneurial and community spirit of the people in Co. Clare and wish them success and the best of luck.
Hopefully more Irish farmers in different areas - in particular on the west coast - will take note of West Clare Renewable Energy and organise similar projects for their communities.
Only three weeks ago the Spirit of Ireland group has presented their magnificent ideas how Ireland could become energy-independent and even an energy exporter within a few years. (see my entry of May 8th)
There is no shortage of wind and water here, and if we can use them to produce electricity, solve our own energy problems and then become truly wealthy by supplying electricity to continental Europe, let's get on with it and do it.
The Emerald Islander
Thirty local farming families will have the biggest shareholding in the new company - West Clare Renewable Energy - which is developing the project.
They collectively own more than 3000 acres of mostly elevated land on Mount Callan, located between Ennis and Miltown Malbay. There they plan to construct 30 wind turbines with a production capacity of three megawatt.
300 new jobs are expected to be created during the two-and-a-half year construction phase.
Efforts to develop a wind farm in the Mount Callan area have been ongoing for over 15 years, but they had not been successful. Only the combined input of so many local families has made the project now feasible.
Landowner John Talty says that the community wind farm is designed to "create long-term sustainable employment, reverse depopulation in the area, and help struggling farmers secure an alternative form of income".
The project also meets the government's plans to invest in cleaner energy sources.
One can only welcome such a brilliant project with open arms, applaud the entrepreneurial and community spirit of the people in Co. Clare and wish them success and the best of luck.
Hopefully more Irish farmers in different areas - in particular on the west coast - will take note of West Clare Renewable Energy and organise similar projects for their communities.
Only three weeks ago the Spirit of Ireland group has presented their magnificent ideas how Ireland could become energy-independent and even an energy exporter within a few years. (see my entry of May 8th)
There is no shortage of wind and water here, and if we can use them to produce electricity, solve our own energy problems and then become truly wealthy by supplying electricity to continental Europe, let's get on with it and do it.
The Emerald Islander
