The 47-hectare solar development has secured planning

12:16, 29 Apr 2026Updated 12:18, 29 Apr 2026

Charles Coyle, Development Project Manager, Amarenco Ireland and Declan Cullinane, Managing Director of Amarenco Ireland(Image: OSM)

Approval has been granted for a major solar project in Co Cork that will generate enough electricity to power 4,500 homes.

Irish renewable energy company Amarenco have secured permission for a development at Castlelyons, near Rathcormac. The project will cover 47 hectares across four sites and is expected to generate enough electricity to power 4,500 homes.

A Coimisiún Pleanála granted permission for the major power project, located just south of Fermoy, in an area that has seen significant investment in renewables in recent years.

Other projects in the North Cork area include German energy company ILOS Energy’s €143 million, 500-acre solar farm in Ballyhea, which will produce enough energy to power 39,000 homes. And the Ballyroe Solar Farm Substation at Baggotstown East, where 330,000 solar panels over 740 acres will generate over 212MW of clean energy.

Construction is due to begin on the new Amarenco site in the second half of 2027, with full operational capacity anticipated in 2029.

Amarenco says it has “extensive ecological plans”, and trees and hedgerows will be used to shield the solar farm from homes and nearby traffic. A Community Benefit Fund will be established once the project is operational to support community and sports projects and initiatives in the locality. Amarenco has allocated an annual budget of approximately €60,000 for the fund for 15 years.

Declan Cullinane, Managing Director of Amarenco, said: “Our Rathcormac project represents a significant investment in the local area and will deliver long-term benefits for the wider community. We are committed to supporting local initiatives, groups and amenities for years to come through our Community Benefit Fund. Biodiversity and nature restoration is a core focus for us.

“Alongside generating clean renewable energy, the development will include extensive native planting and habitat enhancement measures to support pollinators and local wildlife, designed by an independent ecologist. We look forward to working closely with the local community over the coming years on this project.”