Ray Coyle

Solar power plan for Tayto Park

Plans are afoot to run Tayto Park and the Largo Foods Factory with solar energy, as Tayto Park owner, Ray Coyle proposes to operate a 140-acre solar farm close to both facilities.

He explained this week that planning permission is being sought for the solar farm, which will be located about a kilometre from both the factory and Tayto Park and which won’t be adjacent to any houses.
“I own 100 acres and a neighbouring farmer, Michael McDermott owns the other 40 acres.”
Mr Coyle explained that the land can be used for grazing sheep as well as housing the solar panels.
“One third of the electricity produced will operate the crisp factory and Tayto Park, while two thirds will be supplied to the national grid.
“It will cost around €23 million to build,” he said.
Plans for the solar farm development at Reask, Ashbourne, have already been submitted to Meath County Council.
Mr Coyle and Mr McDermott are seeking permission for the construciton of an up to 35MW solar photovoltaic farm with a maximum export capacity of 25MW, comprising of approximately 127,250 photovoltaic panels arranged into arrays on steel ground mounted frames.
The plans also include undergrounded electrical cabling and ducting, 28 inverters; 28 transformer stations; 28 auxiliary transformer stations; a single storey DNO substation building; a single storey communications building; a single storey storage building; a single storey client building; six CCTV security cameras on 4m steel poles; a perimeter security fence; 2,100m of internal access tracks; landscaping; boundary treatments and all associated and ancillary services and works on a site area of approximately 56.76ha.
Access to the proposed development is facilitated by the creation of a new entrance along the local road to the north west of the site.
Meanwhile, planning permisson has been granted to Solar Farmers Ltd for a solar farm development at Doghtog, Crakenstown and Bodeen, Ratoath.

The proposed development consists of 61, 600 solar panels on ground mounted steel frames, an site 38 kV substation (consisting of single storey substation control building, transformers, battery storage container and associated cabling and infrastructure), 15 electrical transformer/invertor station modules, underground cable ducts, hardstanding areas, perimeter fencing and security gates,

access tracks, CCTV and all associated site services and works on a site area of 52.2

hectares.