SSE Renewables and Bord na Móna are inviting community members to a series of public consultation events for the proposed Derryfadda Wind Farm.
Derryfadda is the latest development proposed as part of Bord na Móna and SSE Renewables’ joint venture partnership to deliver new onshore wind farms for Ireland.
The proposed Derryfadda Wind Farm will be located on Bord na Móna’s landbank in the Derryfadda, Boughill and Gowla Bogs located in Galway, along the border with Roscommon.
The project team is now inviting community members in Ahascragh and Ballygar in County Galway and Ballyforan in County Roscommon to find out more about the proposed development.
Details of the upcoming public consultation events for the Derryfadda Wind Farm Project:
Date | Time | Location |
5th November 2024 | 5 – 8.30pm | Ballyforan Community Centre, Ballyforan, Co. Roscommon, H53 H7D1 |
6th November 2024 | 5 – 8.30pm | Mattie McDonagh Centre, Market Square, Ballygar, Co. Galway, F42 V211 |
7th November 2024 | 5 – 8.30pm | Ahascragh Community Centre, Ahascragh, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, H53 FK35 |
As Derryfadda Wind Farm is at an early phase of development, the proposed number, location, and height of turbines are still to be determined. SSE Renewables and Bord na Móna will develop a draft layout for the wind farm in the coming months.
If delivered, the Derryfadda Wind Farm would bring a range of benefits to the local area, including a dedicated Community Benefit Fund.
The SSE Renewables and Bord na Móna partnership is fully committed to informing and engaging with the local community through an active communication programme. As part of this, a Community Engagement and Stakeholder Team has been appointed including a dedicated Community Liaison Officer. This team will be present at the consultation sessions to gather feedback from the public and address any questions.
Further public consultation events will take place next year to gather additional insights from the local community ahead of expected planning submission in late 2025/early 2026.
Paul Bonar, Development Project Manager for SSE Renewables, said: “We are keen to meet with the local communities and hear their thoughts on our early-stage plans for the Derryfadda Wind Farm. This joint venture project will make a significant contribution towards Ireland’s net zero targets – providing cheaper, cleaner, and more secure electricity to our national grid – whilst delivering a broad range of benefits at both regional and local levels. This will include a dedicated Community Benefit Fund, which is something both SSE Renewables and Bord na Móna are proud to have been delivering at our operational sites for many years.”
John Reilly, Head of Renewable Energy for Bord na Móna, said: “We would like to invite members of the local community to learn more about our proposed Derryfadda Wind Farm project. Once operational, this wind farm will play a key role in supporting the supply of green energy to our national grid while also supporting economic opportunities locally through job creation in the construction phase, and down the line in order to manage operations and maintenance of the wind farm. These consultations are an important part of our project planning, providing an opportunity for members of the community to learn more about the proposed development, and in turn enabling the project team to hear feedback and views.”
Bord na Móna and SSE Renewables announced their joint venture earlier this year, one of the largest onshore renewables joint ventures in the history of the state. If fully delivered, it is expected the portfolio of windfarms would generate 800 MW, enough renewable electricity to meet the energy demand of around half a million homes, while displacing half a million tonnes of carbon emissions each year – making a substantial contribution to Ireland’s 2030 renewable energy goals set out in the national Climate Action Plan 2024.
For more on the project proposals, visit www.derryfaddawindfarm.ie