The race to develop new wind and solar farms across Ireland shows no sign of slowing down.

Over the past month, several new projects have either been submitted for planning or have received decisions on their applications.

Carbury Compost - a subsidiary of the largest producer of mushrooms in Europe, Monaghan Mushrooms - has become the latest agri-business to venture into solar farm development.

The company has applied for planning permission for a 3.5ac solar farm at its existing mushroom compost and farm facility in Derrinturn, Co Kildare.

The one megawatt (MW) solar farm will provide enough electricity for around 8% of the facility's annual usage.

Last year, Carbury Compost, along with other industrial energy users in the area, were requested to voluntarily reduce their electricity demand by the ESB. The company says that the solar farm will help lower demand from a vulnerable energy network.

Westmeath

Plans for a 214ac solar farm in Gartlandstown, Co Westmeath, have been refused by the local county council.

The solar farm, located on the grounds of sheep farmer John Fagan, is being developed by French company Neoen Renewables Ireland Ltd.

The application received 79 submissions, most of which were objections, including from Labour Party Councillor D Leonard, who argued that the solar farm was too big for the area.

The project was refused on grounds including its overall scale, visibility and proximity to the Lough Derravaragh SPA. The developers have until September to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.

Kilkenny

Kilderry Solar Farm Limited, a subsidiary of international renewable developer BayWare, has applied for planning permission to build a 123ac solar farm near Kilderry, Co Kilkenny.

The 40MW solar farm would operate for 40 years. However, the application was invalidated by Kilkenny County Council, as it was not submitted within two weeks of the newspaper notice being published.

Elsewhere, Goats Bridge Trout Farm Ltd has applied to build a 2.7ac solar farm near Thomastown, Co Kilkenny. Further information on the application was received, with a decision due in October.

Clare

Fianna Fáil’s Cathal Crowe TD and Cllr Cillian Murphy, as well as Independent Cllr Ian Lynch, were among the objectors to plans to build four new wind turbines near Kilrush, Co Clare.

Limerick-based Ballykett Green Energy Ltd sought permission for the turbines, which would have an overall ground-to-blade tip height of 150m.

They were refused on six grounds, including the height of the turbines and their proximity to local residents and amenities.

Meath

South Meath Solar Farm Ltd has applied to Meath County Council to increase the number of CCTV cameras in a previously granted solar farm, from 21 to 107 and to install four new weather stations on the site.

The original 68MW solar farm was approved in 2018 and covers an area of around 318 acres.