Solar for your Business
Local solar farm ready to go at Slanemore, Mullingar.
Shannon Energy, a leading solar energy business that is involved in multiple projects across Ireland and Western Europe, is looking for a customer for its solar farm development at Slanemore, Mullingar, and large energy users that wish to put solar panels in their car parks.
“We have a utility scale solar farm ready to go at Slanemore, as soon as a customer is found”, Gerry Shannon, founder of the company, explained in an interview with the Westmeath Examiner this week. He said that any company within seven kilometres of the site that uses energy 24 hours a day would be ideal, citing the nearby Lidl Supply Centre, an abattoir or a hospital as perfect candidates.
“This is utility scale solar as opposed to putting panels on the roof of your house. I’m talking about 2,000 panels, each one the size of your front door”, Gerry pointed out. He invited anyone who wants to see such a project in operation to visit their solar farm at Lehinch near Clara, Co Offaly, one of the bigger sites in this area.
Shannon Energy is also focusing on solar panels in car parks. Companies can relieve the demand on the grid by putting solar panels in car parks and on their roof tops. This will earn the company Guarantee of Origin status and carbon credits and tax relief.
Solar panels in carparks are instant and easier to install “because you are not messing around with arable land”, Gerry explained. “You would need 30 to 40 parking space to make it viable, but there is a grant of €162,000 from the Government to do it”, he added.
“The Government is encouraging people to use electricity that is made from alternative energy sources”, Gerry remarked, adding that local TD, Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is championing this cause at cabinet level. “The Government is encouraging the public to put solar panels on the roof of the house, on barns etc., and large energy users to put solar panels on carparks, to save money and protect the environment”, he added.
The cost of putting up solar panels on your roof is €9,000 per site, €2,000 of which can be recouped through a Government grant and can cut your energy costs significantly.
It is good news for farmers too. Shannon Energy rents land at €1,100 an acre for 40 years, index linked. They put down solar panels and connect to the national grid. The electricity produced is sold into the grid and the farmer is credited.
For instance, a farmer with 35 acres can lease their land to Shannon Energy and collect €40,000 a year for doing nothing. “If you are interested, just send us your Eircode and the size of the fields you might give us, and we will do an analysis”, Gerry stated. Likewise, Shannon Energy can rent the roof of your shed and put panels on it.
Gerry and his brother Noel co-founded Shannon Energy which has extensive experience gained in Europe, Asia and North Africa, and is involved in multiple projects across Ireland and Western Europe.
For more details, visit their website:
or call Gerry on 086 8345229.