Energy provider SSE Renewables has unveiled plans to develop a solar farm and associated battery storage in its existing operational wind farm.

The company plans to develop a 21 megawatt (MW) solar farm and a 10MW battery energy storage system facility near its existing 18-turbine Richfield Wind Farm in Bridgetown, Co Wexford.

The proposed solar farm would be located in the townlands of Hooks and Yoletown, while the storage system would be co-located adjacent to the existing substation at Richfield Wind Farm.

Linear arrays

The project will span 75ac and consist of linear arrays of mounted solar panels up to 3.2m in height.

The storage facility will consist of approximately six containers to house lithium-ion batteries or similar technology.

The project will involve the construction of an internal cable to connect the facility to the existing Richfield Wind Farm 38kV substation.

Richfield Wind Farm in Wexford has been in operation since 2006 and can power almost 18,000 homes annually, abating almost 22,000t of carbon dioxide per annum.

Need for change

SSE Renewables says that 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 co-location of generation sources.