Plans for a major solar energy farm on a 27-hectare site in Co Wicklow have been approved by Wicklow County Council.
The permission comes as the Government is preparing a new renewable energy support scheme scheduled to be operational by the first half of 2018.
The solar farm near Rathnew, north of Wicklow Town, includes photo-voltaic panels covering an area of 182,120sq m on steel frames, with a maximum height of about 2.5m.
The solar farm is being proposed by BNRGN Millvale Ltd, which is understood to be backed by David Maguire of BNRG Renewables, a firm which has extensive solar power interests in the UK and has already been linked to plans for solar farms in Co Cork.
The permission follows Wicklow County Council’s decision in April to grant planning approval for a separate solar energy farm at Ballinaclough, Rathnew, to Gaelelectric Energy Developments.