Latest News

Stay up to date with the latest news on the Bullstown Solar Farm development.

Location

The Location Map provides more details of both the proposed Bullstown Solar Farm projects.

Bullstown

Bullstown Solar Farm achieved full planning permission from Meath County Council on 21st February 2017 (Planning Reference Number: AA/160553).

The project successfully cleared the RESS 2 auction in June 2022.

The development of a solar farm on the proposed site will not have any significant visual impact on main roads, settlements or on any area of special amenity value. Due to the relative low height of the solar arrays, combined with the flat low-lying character of the site in an enclosed landscape, views of the proposed development are very limited.

Bullstown Solar Farm will connect to the electricity grid via a short cable connection into the existing Ashbourne 38kV Substation that adjoins the site.

Proposed Development

Construction of this project commenced in January 2024

January 2024 – Autumn 2024: Electrical works installation and Solar panel installed on site

Winter 2024 : Commissioning and project operational

Community Benefits

At a local level, there will be benefits from the construction and operation of the Bullstown Solar Farm. These include:

• A Community Benefit Fund.
• Indirect employment through the sub-supply of services in the local area.
• Rates paid by the solar farm to Meath County Council will support the provision of local services.

Community Benefit Fund

The Bullstown Solar Farm project will have a Community Benefit Fund which will distribute grants to organisations in the local area once the solar farm is operational. The fund is to be used for the wider economic, environment, social and cultural wellbeing of the local community.

ESB has an independent dedicated administrator for Wind and Solar Farm Community Funds, and they are called SECAD. This is their application portal website: www.communitybenefitfunds.ie and there will be a help section on the site that communities may find helpful, including links to webinars. While the solar fund is not operational yet, we encourage you to start thinking about the kind of projects you might submit and the supporting information SECAD require.