An Irish dairy farmer devoted only 1.5 acres of his 110-acre holding to 1,008 solar panels, kept sheep grazing underneath and secured a 15-year electricity agreement to supply power equivalent to about 150 homes

An Irish dairy farmer has turned a small part of his land into a commercial clean energy project, setting a national example of how farms can earn income from renewable power. Sean Keating, a farmer in Meadstown, Kildorrery, County Cork, used just 1.5 acres of his 110-acre farm to build Meadhill Solar Farm. The project is the first operational solar farm in Ireland to receive support under the government's Small-Scale Renewable Energy Support Scheme (SRESS). The ground-mounted solar farm has 1,008 Longi 645W solar panels installed by PV Generation. The system can produce up to 650 kWp of electricity and is expected to generate between 600 and 650 megawatt-hours of clean power each year. This is enough electricity to supply around 150 local homes while preventing an estimated 100 to 120 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.Dual land use keeps livestock grazingInstead of removing farmland from agricultural use, the project was designed to serve two purposes. The solar panels produce electricity above ground, while sheep continue to graze on the grass beneath the supporting structures. Keating said the idea began nearly a decade ago as part of a long-term plan to protect his family's farm from changing economic conditions. "This project started back in 2017 with a simple vision to diversify our farm's income and build a sustainable, long-term legacy for my family and to also do our bit for the environment," Keating said at an open day held at the farm to mark the start of operations. "Bringing it to life required significant work across planning, the ESB grid connection and financing. Support from the Government's SRESS scheme, along with Flogas coming on board with a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement, was key to making the project bankable." Keating added: "I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to our project partners Bank of Ireland, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland and PV Generation Ltd. It was the support of both, and in particular that of PV Generation Ltd, that was critical in making this milestone possible."Long-term contract provides commercial certaintyTo secure funding and ensure there would be a buyer for the electricity, Keating signed a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement with energy supplier Flogas, a subsidiary of DCC Energy plc. Under the agreement, Flogas will buy the renewable electricity produced by the farm and supply it to the national grid. Ken O'Byrne, managing director of Flogas Energy, said long-term commercial agreements can help small renewable energy projects move from the planning stage to full operation. "What makes Meadhill Solar Farm significant is that it shows how a long-term PPA can help a farmer-led renewable project move from an idea on paper to a fully operational asset," O'Byrne said. "Our role is to provide the commercial certainty that gives projects like this a route to market and helps unlock the investment needed to bring them forward." O'Byrne said Flogas believes the same business model could work for other farmers, small businesses, and independent energy developers in rural communities across Ireland.Government ministers highlight small-scale renewablesThe government's Small-Scale Renewable Energy Support Scheme supports clean energy projects that produce between 50 kW and 6 MW of electricity. It offers guaranteed payment rates to help community projects, small businesses, and farmers take part directly in the move towards renewable energy. Government ministers described the Cork farm as a practical example of how environmental goals can support rural businesses. "The Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is an important part of our strategy to increase renewable electricity generation across Ireland and to enable farmers, rural communities and smaller developers to participate in the energy transition," said Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O'Brien in statements released about the project's launch. "Meadhill Solar Farm shows how the right policy framework can help turn locally developed ideas into operational renewable energy projects." Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Niall Collins attended the open day in County Cork. He highlighted the financial benefits that diversification can bring to family farms. "For farming families, diversification is increasingly important in building sustainable businesses for the future," Collins said. "Meadhill Solar Farm is a practical example of how renewable energy can become part of that story, with Sean Keating continuing to farm the land while creating a new source of income for his family."You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.