April 4, 2014
Ireland

Approval for two Antrim windfarms

Simon Cunningham | The Irish News | 04/04/2014 | www.irishnews.com

Two windfarms in Co Antrim have received planning approval.

Energy firm Gaelectric will construct a 9.2MW facility at Cloonty and a 5.4MW farm at Corby Knowe.

It said the developments would support 35 full and part-time construction jobs and represented a £20.6 million investment. The Cloonty farm, south of Bushmills, will consist of four turbines which will generate enough electricity for more than 5,200 homes.

The Corby Knowe site between Antrim and Kells will comprise three turbines generating sufficient power to meet the electricity demand of about 3,000 homes. Gaelectric commercial manager Patrick McClughan said the developments were “both important milestones for our business” and would “further strengthen Gaelectric’s platform in the energy market”. “The two projects will also generate jobs, support increased workforce skills and provide economic activity to these local areas,” he said. “Both windfarms will add significantly to our onshore wind portfolio and assist us in providing 14.6MW’s towards Northern Ireland’s renewable energy targets. “Our total permitted portfolio now stands at 123MW in Northern Ireland which firmly concretes Gaelectric’s position as Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous renewable energy company.” Gaelectric has received approval for nine windfarms in the north over the past three years, representing an investment of about £170m. The company said it hopes all the farms will be commissioned by 2017.

Gaelectric opened its first windfarm in Northern Ireland – at Carn Hill, near Newtownabbey – in May last year. The company’s 42 MW Dunbeg project, just outside Limavady, is expected to begin operating later this year.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/04/04/approval-for-two-antrim-windfarms/