Gaelectric has secured planning approval for a 4.9MW solar farm at Inishative near Pomeroy in County Tyrone. In a first for Northern Ireland, this solar farm will comprise ground mounted PV panels. The electricity generation capacity of Inishative Solar Farm will meet the equivalent energy needs of approximately 1,175 homes with clean, green electricity.
Commenting, Gaelectric Development Director, Mike Denny, said: "Co-locating wind and solar generation on the same site makes sense. Solar and wind have complementary generation profiles. Solar tends to be strongest during the longer and brighter days of late spring, summer and early autumn when the wind tends to blow less. Wind on good sites blows most of the time, but more consistently from late autumn right through to the springtime. In this way the profiles of solar and wind generation complement each other, helping us use limited grid capacity and other essential infrastructure more efficiently, and significantly reducing environmental impacts into the bargain."
Gaelectric is seeking approval to modify its existing grid connection agreement with Northern Ireland Electricity to facilitate co-locating this solar development. Commenting further, Mike Denny said: "It is important that the NIE/SONI consultation on grid connections for renewable energy allows the modification of existing and paid for connection agreements, and avoids delays in co-locating solar projects that do not require any increase in the maximum export capacity of existing connections."