SSE to develop solar and battery co-location project at Wexford wind farm
Energy operator SSE Renewables has announced its first solar energy and battery co-location project in Ireland, choosing its existing South East wind farm for the development.
The company plans to build a solar farm and 10MW/2hr battery energy storage system on its 18-turbine Richfield Wind Farm at Bridgetown in County Wexford.
Operating since 2026, the wind farm has the capacity to power almost 18,000 homes annually, helping to abate 22,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
The proposed solar farm would be located in the townlands of Hooks and Yoletown while the proposed battery energy storage system (BESS) would be co-located adjacent to the existing substation at Richfield Wind Farm.
The new plans are part of SSE’s wider clean energy strategy which also include doubling the company’s renewable energy capacity by 2026.
The development of the project will be subject to changes in Ireland’s current grid connection consenting regime to allow for ‘hybrid’ technology grid connections to facilitate the co-location of generation sources.
Heather Donald, Onshore Renewables Development and Construction Director at SSE said:
We’re taking action to deliver the clean energy the world needs right now.
At Richfield in County Wexford we’ve identified an ideal opportunity, to further explore how we can co-locate solar, battery and wind farm technology to realise our homegrown renewable energy potential.
Ms Donald also noted the development’s ability to generate solar power for immediate use, while also storing surplus energy in a battery storage system for use when needed.
“The result is that this co-location project at Richfield can help export greater levels of renewable energy output to the national grid and contribute to Ireland’s target of generating 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.”
Public consultation has commenced today, Tuesday, on the proposed co-located solar and battery project, with a consultation event scheduled for later this week.
Following the completion of the public consultation, SSE intends to submit an application for planning permission to Wexford County Council later this spring.
