– Extension means Richfield will continue to generate clean green energy for a further twenty years –
SSE has been granted planning permission by Wexford County Council to extend the operational life of its Richfield Wind Farm near Bridgetown in County Wexford for a further 20 years.
Consent for the life extension of Richfield Wind Farm allows SSE Renewables to continue generating clean green energy at Richfield. This also means the company will be able to continue supporting both the local community and local authority, through its established community fund and ongoing contributions to the local exchequer through commercial rate payments.
With an installed capacity of 27MW, the 18-turbine Richfield Wind Farm has played a vital role in renewable energy production for the past two decades. Each year, the renewable energy generated at the wind farm has been capable of powering the equivalent of up to 18,000 homes annually, helping displace almost 22,000 metric tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide each year.
The original planning consent for the wind farm was granted in 2005 and limited the wind farm’s operational lifetime to just 20 years. However, by continuing comprehensive operational maintenance activities, the wind farm can continue to safely and sustainably generate renewable energy. The planning consent extends only the life-time operation of the existing wind farm and does not propose any increase in the number or size of the wind turbines at the site.
Ciaran Maguire, Onshore Wind O&M General Manager Ireland for SSE Renewables, said: “Richfield Wind Farm has contributed to clean energy production in Ireland for nearly two decades, and with this life extension, it has the potential to continue to support the country in achieving its ambitious climate targets. Importantly, due to this consent from Wexford County Council, we can continue to provide direct benefits to the local community for many more years to come through our long-standing Community Benefit Fund as well as financial support to the provision of local services through ongoing commercial rates payments to the local authority.”
To support the planning process, SSE Renewables hosted a public information in June 2024 at the Stella Maris Centre in Kilmore Quay where members of the local community were provided an opportunity to find out further details of the company’s plans. This included information on how the wind farm’s Community Fund would continue to operate if the site’s life extension is approved. Since it launched in 2007, the Richfield Community Fund has awarded more than €400,000 to 266 community groups in the vicinity of the wind farm, with almost €34,000 awarded in the last year alone.
Separately, SSE Renewables is also progressing plans for a solar farm adjacent to the existing Richfield Wind Farm at a 44-hectare site in the townlands of Hooks/Yoletown and Kilcowan. The company was granted planning permission for the 21MWp solar project in summer 2024.
*Quoted CO2 emissions abated based on typical annual MWh output and average CO2 Emissions in 2022 (0.234g/kWh) in the All-Island Single Electricity Market and published by the CRU in its Fuel Mix Disclosure and CO2 Emissions for 2022, November 2023.