Neoen has started the construction of the 79MWp Ballinknockane solar farm in County Limerick, Ireland. The project, awarded under Ireland's RESS 2 auction in 2022, will benefit from a Contract for Difference (CfD) mechanism valid until 2040. Initially planned with a capacity of 61MWp, the farm's output has been upgraded to 79MWp.
The solar farm will be the first utility-scale solar project in County Limerick and Neoen's first transmission-connected project in Ireland. It is expected to be energized by mid-2026 and fully commissioned in the first half of 2027. Once operational, Ballinknockane will generate enough energy to power 16,000 homes, preventing approximately 21,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
Neoen has awarded turnkey EPC contracts to Omexom for the solar plant and TLI Group for the 110kV onsite substation. A Community Benefit Fund totaling over €1.8 million will support local community initiatives over the project's lifetime. Additionally, the solar farm will incorporate agrisolar with sheep grazing and include biodiversity measures such as planting trees, hedges, installing bird boxes, bug hotels, and creating biodiversity meadows.
With the addition of Ballinknockane, Neoen's capacity in Ireland—either operational or under construction—now totals 190MW, including three solar farms (58MWp) and eight wind farms (53MW). This milestone follows Neoen's success in Ireland's RESS 4 auction, where the company secured two new solar projects totaling 170MWp.
Cyril Perrin, Managing Director of Neoen Ireland, thanked all project stakeholders and highlighted Ballinknockane's role in supporting Ireland's 2030 climate goals. Xavier Barbaro, Chairman and CEO of Neoen, emphasized that this development reinforces the company's commitment to accelerating the energy transition in Ireland and globally.
