Wexford council 'sold a pup' by the ESB as fight to thwart 300-acre solar farm gathers pace

Gen7 Renewable Energy Limited applied for planning permission for a 300-acre solar farm in Gusserane, prompting strong local opposition. Concerns focused on the project’s industrial scale, the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and 220kV substation, proximity to Gusserane National School, and loss of productive agricultural land. The opposition led to the formation of the Gusserane Community Action Group, which lobbied local politicians. At a May meeting, councillors Michael Sheehan and Marty Murphy submitted a motion calling on the Housing Minister to provide a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework for BESS, including planning, safety, and emergency response guidance. They also requested Wexford County Council provide clear local policy guidance on siting and assessment, including separation distances, protection of water resources, emergency response capacity, access and infrastructure constraints, and cumulative impact. Council officials stated they must follow planning guidelines when assessing applications.

"In September of last year, Gen7 Renewable Energy Limited applied for planning permission for the farm in Gusserane and immediately faced strong opposition from the local community. That opposition centred round the "industrial scale of the project", "the proposed Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and 220kV substation and its proximity to Gusserane National School", and the "loss of productive agricultural land"."

"Calling on Housing Minister James Browne TD to provide "a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework for BESS, including planning, safety and emergency response guidance", the councillors asked that, on a local level, WCC would provide "clear policy guidance on the siting and assessment of large-scale BESS . . . including consideration of appropriate locations, separation distances from residential areas and sensitive receptors, protection of water resources, emergency response capacity, access and infrastructure constraints, and cumulative impact.""

"And at the May meeting of WCC that support came in the form of a motion submitted by Councillors Michael Sheehan and Marty Murphy which noted the lack of "planning, safety, and emergency response standards" regarding the development of large-scale BESS, a technology that captures electrical energy and stores it in batteries for later use."

"While councillors have sought ways to prevent the solar farm in Gusserane from being approved, council officials have insisted they must adhere to planning guidelines when assessing any and all applications."

Read at Irish Independent