Planning permission for 15-turbine wind farm sought in Waterford

An application for planning permission was recently submitted to An Bord Pleanála for a 15-turbine wind farm on Scart Mountain, approximately 4km northeast of Cappoquin in Waterford.

Once constructed, the wind farm would be able to provide energy for between 45,598 and 65,661 Irish households, the planning application documentation claims.

The 12 individual turbines would have a blade tip height of between 179.5 and 185 metres tall

The wind farm would require the construction of 15 wind turbines, a 110kV substation and other works. In conjunction with this application, Futurenergy Scart Mountain DAC is also applying for permission to connect the requested wind farm to the substation in Dungarvan via 16km of electrical cabling. 

FuturEnergy Ireland is a wind power development company established in 2021 by Coillte and the Electrical Supply Board. The company is aiming to deliver 1 gigawatt of renewable energy by 2023 through the development of onshore wind projects in order to decarbonise the Irish electrical grid.

FuturEnergy Ireland said that the Scart Mountain Wind Farm would save between 61,350 tonnes and 77,694 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

"Scart Mountain Wind Farm would support the local economy by contributing annual rates and providing a Community Benefit Fund," the company said when it announced the application.

"If consented and constructed as designed, the project would contribute a minimum of €540,000 per annum to a Community Benefit Fund for 15 years and a further €270,000 per annum for the operational lifetime of the wind farm.

"The ‘lifetime’ fund is an exclusive FuturEnergy Ireland initiative that brings the total contribution to the local area to approximately €12 million during the operational period."

Emer Campbell, Project Manager at FuturEnergy Ireland, said of the Scart Mountain Wind Farm that “this planning application marks an important milestone in our commitment to delivering renewable energy solutions that support Ireland’s transition to a more sustainable future."

“If you consider that a single rotation of one turbine would power a typical home for 12 to 16 hours, the Scart Mountain Wind Farm has the potential to contribute significantly to national renewable energy targets," she said

"The project would also create local opportunities through a substantial community benefit fund, local rates payments and employment.”