The Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) sets a target to halve our country’s carbon emissions by 2030 and reach net zero carbon emissions no later than 2050. CAP23 provides us with a roadmap to greater energy security, stable prices, more jobs, and regional development, particularly for rural communities.

Electricity will play an important role in the decarbonisation of sectors, including transport, heating, and industry, through electrification. Among the measures in the plan is to increase the proportion of renewable electricity to up to 80% by 2030. A target of 9 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy from onshore wind, 8 GW from solar, and at least 5 GW of offshore wind energy has been set to be achieved by 2030.

We need to double the installed capacity of onshore wind in the Republic of Ireland from over 4,400MW to 9,000MW.  The development of new onshore wind farms are crucial as we move away from our reliance on fossil fuels. Developing our own clean renewable energy in Ireland gives us a security of supply and frees us from the dependence on imported fossil fuels.

While offshore wind will play a part in these 2030 targets (rising from 25MW in 2021 to 7,000MW in 2030), onshore wind is still fundamental to the decarbonisation of the electricity market in Ireland.

RWE has identified an initial study area located approximately 2km southeast of Carrig, Co. Tipperary, 7km south of Birr, County Offaly and 4km north of Shinrone County Offaly for the proposed Ballincor Project, for up to 12 wind turbines (with a capacity of up to 84MW) with associated internal roads, an electrical substation,  underground cabling and ancillary works.

The study area comprises lands at Ballincor, Curralanty, Cloonaheen, Co. Offaly and Clonfree, Casteltown, Cronekill, Kylenamuck, Co. Tipperary and measures approximately 530 hectares.

The proposed wind farm area under consideration consists of agriculture land, forestry and cutaway bog. These land uses could continue with a wind farm development at the site.

The proposed Ballincor Project is located in an area of appropriate wind speeds with suitable available land on which to develop a wind farm. It occupies a sufficient area of land to accommodate a wind farm while keeping an appropriate distance from dwellings in line with government guidelines, that of 4 times tip height which for a 180m tip height turbine, is 720m from the nearest dwelling.

RWE is committed to community engagement in all of its projects and is entering into a pre-planning consultation period with stakeholders, especially local residents, to answer questions, allay any concerns and gather feedback on the proposed project. We believe that involving local people from the start is the best way to make sure the wind farm is sensitively designed and brings real benefits to the area, while generating clean, green renewable energy.

We hope that we will be able to visit you individually as we undertake our usual door to door engagement.  You can of course call us on 087 151 9219 with any queries you may have.  We can also facilitate Zoom, Skype or MS Teams calls.

We welcome email correspondence to our dedicated project email address or by post to our office in Kilkenny at Ballincor Project, RWE Renewables, Desart House, Lower New Street Co. Kilkenny, R95 H488.