Killala farmers catch the wind

Killala farmers catch the wind

Áine Ryan

THE FIRST community-owned wind farm in the country has been granted planning permission by Mayo County Council. Within two years, Killala Community Windfarm Ltd could be inputting 23 mega watts of energy to the national grid, thus realising a key commitment of the Budget to increasing the percentage of alternative energy being inputted to the grid. The project will cost in the region of €25 million and is composed of ten turbines.
The company, whose shareholders include local farmers and Killala Community Council, was granted the landmark planning permission last Friday, December 7, subject to 21 conditions. Director, Mr John Gilvarry told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday) that all involved are delighted this hurdle has been crossed.
“We can now move forward with our investment vehicle to sell this project to the wider community. We also need to get a Power Purchase Agreement and to get onto the national grid. We hope to get an offer from ESB Networks in 2008,” said Mr Gilvarry.
He highlighted the huge advantages of wider community investment in the innovative project.
“This not only means that profits will stay in the county, but also a community group will be capturing a natural resource, generating electricity and reducing carbon emissions equivalent to 15,000 cars being taken off the road,” he continued. He added there had already been a lot of interest expressed by the wider community.
In early 2002 the Renewable Energy Partnership (REP), which consists of Brí Nua Community Wind Energy Group, Mayo Community Wind Energy Group and the Western Development Commission (WDC) began to research the potential for communities in the region to benefit from the establishment of wind energy.
Two years later the WDC published ‘To Catch the Wind’, a research publication on community-owned wind energy projects. It had been funded by Sustainable Energy Ireland, and was in association with the above mentioned Brí Nua (Donegal) and the Mayo group. 
After holding information workshops on the project, the WDC focussed on identifying a ‘real project’ that would adhere to the principles. The Killala Community Windfarm perfectly fitted the specifications, according to WDC Rural Development Officer, Ms Bernadette Phelan.
She told The Mayo News yesterday that the WDC welcomed Mayo County Council’s decision and now looked forward to progressing the project.
“This has been a pilot project and in January we will publish a case study report on it which will inform other communities interested in developing such ventures,” said Ms Phelan.
Meanwhile, Killala Community Windfarm Ltd has established a trust fund for Killala and Cooneal national schools, which will contribute €3,000 annually to each school during the lifetime of the  project.
Furthermore, Cllr Michelle Mulherin – who recently hosted an information evening on wind energy – has campaigned for a number of related amendments to the upcoming County Development Plan. These include the following amendment: “It should be stated in both the County Development Plan and the Wind Energy Strategy that the development of Wind Energy and other renewable energy sources and in particular Community Wind Farms projects is a priority of Mayo County Council.”