BESS site in Galway townland seeks 10-year planning extension
A renewable energy company is seeking to extend planning permission for a previously-approved battery energy storage system (BESS) development in Galway, nearly three years before it expires.
Regnum Renewables Developments Limited submitted a planning application in late March requesting a 10-year extension for the development of a BESS facility in Somerset, Co Galway.
The application was lodged ahead of the expiration of the original planning application which was approved by Galway County Council planning offices with 13 conditions in January 2024.
Within the approval, planning offices stated a viable approved permission for up to five years after the date of approval notice. This means the original planning application would expire in January 2029.
The development will include a 240MWh facility totaling 3 hectares of site landscape. It will include one substation, 12 electrical inverters and six electrical transformers. In addition, 31 battery storage modules will be held within containers on concrete plinths, according to the application.
All associated works including pathways, CCTV, security, and electrical cabling and ducting are set to be included.
The decision for an extension is expected on May 21.
BESS facilities have been severely criticised in rural towns across Galway, with residents calling for a specific assessment of safety risks linked to BESS.
The storage systems are lithium-ion and designed to store excess electricity generated by solar panels and release it when production drops, ensuring a steady supply.
In the West of Ireland, where sunlight can be limited and inconsistent, these systems are seen as a crucial way of balancing output and maintaining a reliable flow of renewable energy.