A major Business Energy development has been approved in County Cavan that will see large-scale solar generation directly supply one of Ireland’s most energy-intensive industrial facilities. Planning permission has been granted for a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic installation adjacent to Mannok Cement Works in Ballyconnell, enabling on-site renewable electricity generation for cement production.

Approved by Cavan County Council, the project will install approximately 12,609 solar PV panels across a 9.3-hectare site located south of the existing cement plant. The development is designed to directly power Mannok Cement’s operations, reducing reliance on grid electricity and cutting operational carbon emissions at source.

The solar panels will be mounted on steel frames with a maximum height of 2.73 metres and arranged in south-facing rows to optimise energy yield. Supporting infrastructure will include underground cabling, an 11kV transformer station, access tracks, security systems and biodiversity-focused landscaping measures. An existing ESB overhead line will be relocated as part of the works.

The planning permission allows the solar farm to operate for 35 years, after which the site will be fully decommissioned and returned to agricultural use. Mannok said existing woodland within the site boundary will remain undisturbed.

In its first year of operation alone, the solar installation is projected to save approximately 1,243 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. This reduction is equivalent to planting around 89,000 evergreen trees, highlighting the scale of emissions abatement achievable through industrial self-generation.

The project site lies in a rural area outside Ballyconnell’s development plan envelope, adjacent to residential and industrial land uses. Design measures have been incorporated to minimise visual impact, including panel alignment with natural land contours and wildlife-friendly boundary fencing.

Read more on how on-site renewables are transforming industrial energy strategies in Ireland’s manufacturing sector.

(Photo Credits to Pixabay)