Solar farm plans for Carrickfergus and Antrim
A proposal of application notice has been submitted to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for the second phase of a solar farm at Dublin Road in Antrim.
The application was made by an agent on behalf of H6 Energy Limited which has an address in London.
A pre-application public consultation drop-in event will be held in Holiday Inn Express Antrim, in September, to allow interested parties to view plans for the proposal and provide feedback. A neighbourhood information leaflet drop will take place to households within 500 metres of the site.
The proposal is for a 20MW solar farm and ancillary development on a 17 hectare site which is 250 metres south-west of 99 Dublin Road.
Meanwhile, a public consultation event took place earlier this month over plans for a proposed 550MW battery energy storage facility (BESS) outside Carrickfergus.
The planned development will include construction of a 17MW solar farm on land at Beltoy Road.
Heron Energy, which is involved in the delivery of both projects, says: “The proposed BESS and solar farm are ideally located in close proximity to the energy infrastructure in Kilroot being 800 metres north of Kilroot sub-station.”
BESS systems are “devices that enable energy from renewables, like solar and wind, to be stored and then released when the power is needed most”, the company explained on its website.
"The site’s strategic location and proximity to Kilroot sub-station is ideal and this allows for easier grid integration and being near existing high voltage infrastructure simplifies the process of feeding stored and generated energy into the grid, enhancing reliability and efficiency,” the company said.
"The Carrick Connect Project will deliver significant benefits for the area including the provision of reliable clean energy by storing and distributing renewable electricity more efficiently.”
The company states that the proposed solar farm aims to supply approximately 5,000 homes annually.
"With an estimated £300m in private investment, the project will strengthen local energy infrastructure, support Northern Ireland’s transition to net zero and enhance grid stability,” it noted.
"It will also create around 350 construction jobs and offer long-term opportunities in the green energy sector contributing to economic growth and regional resilience.”