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Energy project could generate 2,000 jobs

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OVER 2,000 construction jobs could be created in Clare for five years if one of the two sites identified in the new County Development Plan for a €1 billion hydroelectricity generating plant are fully developed.
Atlantic Force chairman, Padraig Howard has predicted that between 2,000 and 2,500 construction jobs could be created in West or East Clare if planning approval for a major 400 to 600 megawatt pumped hydroelectricity storage plant is secured. The Barefield windfarm developer predicted between 50 and 75 permanent maintenance jobs could be created if his plans come to fruition.
In fact, Mr Howard believes there is a strong case why the two sites could be developed to transform Clare into the renewable energy leader in the country.
While up to 50 potential sites were identified for the generation of hydroelectricity by the Spirit of Ireland throughout the country, Mr Howard noted Clare has a distinct advantage because of its topography, the lack of EU Natura protected habitats in the two areas, the presence of a 400 kilowatt distribution line traversing the two sites and suitability of land for windfarms.
Having conducted pre-feasibility studies, Atlantic Force, a Clare-based renewable energy company, which is linked to the proposed development of a large windfarm in Mount Callan currently being assessed by An Bord Pleanála, has employed world leading consultancy firm, Knight Piesolt to conduct a feasibility study on the development of a hydroelectricity generating plant in Clare.
The company is planning to engage in negotiations with affected landowners and the local community and conduct a series of environmental studies to prepare a planning application.
Within nine months to a year, Mr Howard expects the company to be in a position to lodge a planning application. This could take from 12 months to 18 months to complete and it would take up to five years to construct the entire plant.
The Canadian-based company is involved in the development of a major hydro storage plant in Australia costing $2.5 billion.
Mr Howard said the company is anxious there would be a financial benefit for local landowners, the local community, the Mid-West and Irish economy.
He explained multinationals such as Cloud Computing, Microsoft and Google want to locate factories in areas where there is easy access to low-carbon, cheap, renewable energy, such as hydro-electricity, which would make Ennis and Shannon far more attractive to secure new industries.
Clare County Council has paved the way for national or international investors to build a new hydro plant on the Mount Callan uplands stretching from outside Lissycasey to Miltown Malbay in West Clare and from Tuamgraney to Bunratty in South-East Clare, following the launch of its new County Development Plan.
County manager, Tom Coughlan explained the inclusion of these two districts as preliminary areas for consideration for pumped hydro-electricity storage (PHES) as an objective in the plan means this proposal would not be in contravention of the plan. However, he also said any proposal would have to go through the normal planning process, including public consultation.
The development may be adjudicated by An Bord Pleanála, bypassing Clare County Council, if it is deemed a development of national strategic importance by the appeals board.
However, these plans may be resisted by over 40 residents from Coore, Shanavough and Mount Callan, who feel “overtaken by an avalanche of development planned for their community without adequate consultation”.
In a statement issued to The Clare Champion, residents claimed their recommendations and concerns about the installation of multiple large windfarms close to their homes have been dismissed and ignored by councillors and the planning section.
“This PHES project has been in planning for years without public consultation. The council’s provision for the project in the new County Development Plan is a clear intention of attracting large-scale wind development to the county.

 

“The multiple effects of the PHES and windfarms on wildlife, groundwater, human health and welfare, community and property will be devastating. Most residents of the area are completely unaware of the scale and implications of this development,” the residents claimed.

“Against Department of the Environment recommendations, in the new CDP, windfarm and hydro developments in Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) will be considered ‘acceptable in principle.’ In the CDP there is also a new allowance for size in hydro projects; it has been changed from ‘small-scale’ to ‘appropriately sized’, which provides no assurance of size limitation.
“Residents are already concerned about the poor quality of Environmental Impact Statements accepted for related windfarm developments by the county planning section.
“The associated EIS documents for the Mount Callan windfarm and for the new Coore/Shanavogh windfarm are demonstrably incomplete and subjective, with significant potential impacts on wildlife, landscape and communities left unaddressed or downplayed,” they claimed.
The residents warned the provision of a new reservoir would have a significant negative impact on protected species such as the hen harrier and the entire blanket bog ecosystem.
The PHES system involves pumping water between lakes using primarily excess wind energy at off-peak times. Water is released to the lower lake to generate electricity.
Asked about residents’ concerns about large-scale projects, Mr Coughlan stressed any application would go through a public consultation process and directed people to the council’s wind energy strategy, which sets out conditions where windfarms are acceptable.
“The council wants to become a leader in renewable energy. We would like to see industrial areas in the Shannon Free Zone powered by renewable energy and Shannon Airport heated by renewable energy, like the one we have in our own offices.
“The council wants to promote Clare as a clean technology county trying to reduce carbon, which is attractive for industry that wants to locate in Clare,” he concluded.

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