Meenadreen, Co. Donegal – Phase 1
Irelands largest on shore wind farm development at Meenadreen in Donegal was developed by the Ronan Renewables group. Phase two of the project saw a record investment of €145m in wind farm development in Ireland.
Phase one of the project saw the development of a 3.6 mega watt project with phase two now set to deliver 95 mega watts per year. Phase two alone consists of 38 Nordex N90 turbines providing over 255 gigawatt hours each year, enough to power 70 thousand homes, and will also involve the construction of a new €11m substation which will contribute to strengthening the electricity network in Donegal.
The development is near the Barnesmore Gap in County Donegal Central to the success of the project and the core skill set of Ronan Renewables was the acquisition of land and careful consultation with local landowners as well as siting to integrate into the national grid. This process involved partnership with site development experts Jennings O’Donavan engineers who assisted in the following areas.
- Site Investigations, access roadway and site road design
- Siting, procurement and installation of Met mast
- Managing site wind regime assessment
- Optimisation of 40 wind turbine generator locations
- Selection of the most suitable location for and design of 110KV Electrical Sub Station
- Siting of overhead powerlines to connect to National Grid
- Negotiating consents with stakeholders on access, wayleaves and rights of way
- Preparation of planning application and drawings
- Preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment
- Consultation with Local Authority and Goverment Departments
- Consultation with forestry interests, local landowners and residents groups
- Holding Public Consultation Open Days, preparing brochures and leaflet drops
- Assisting with Media Public Relations and supply of articles for press and radio interviews
Site
| Number of Machines | 1 |
| Total Installed Capacity | 12.5MW |
| Annual Output | 39.06GWh |
| Equivalent Tonnage of CO2 Saved | 31,250 |
| Equivalent Number of Households | 8,333 |
| Power Contract | Gate 2 |
| Commission Date | 2016 |
| Freehold Owner | Ronan Group Renewables |