Shannon Airport is seeking planning permission from Clare County Council for a 5.5ac solar farm.

In its application, the airport said the solar farm, to be located within the airfield, is a step towards the airport achieving its sustainability ambitions.

“The proposed development...demonstrates its commitment to reducing its environmental footprint,” it said. The airport is poised to hit 2m passengers by the end of 2024. It will take a few more solar panels to cancel out the carbon footprint of the planes, The Dealer reckons.

If permission is granted, this won’t be the airport’s first foray into farming. During the drought of 2018, silage was cut on land there.