SSE Renewables is submitting a planning application to Cork County Council to extend the operational life of its Coomatallin Wind Farm in West Cork. The company is seeking approval to continue operations for another 20 years, which would allow the wind farm to generate clean energy and support local community initiatives until 2046.

Wind Farm Operations and Current Status

Coomatallin Wind Farm is a 6MW facility consisting of four turbines located 7 km south of Dunmanway and 3.5 km east of Drinagh in West Cork. The wind farm has been operating since early 2006, meaning it has been generating renewable energy for almost 20 years. The facility currently generates enough renewable energy to power over 4,000 Irish homes annually while displacing 4,000 tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The need for the life extension application stems from the wind farm's original planning permission, which limits its operational life to 20 years from when it was first commissioned. The planning application does not propose any changes to the number or size of the turbines at the wind farm.

Community and Economic Impact

The Coomatallin Community Fund was launched in 2006 alongside the wind farm's operations. Once the contribution from the 2025 fund is distributed, the community fund will have contributed nearly EUR 290,000 to community groups within 20 km of the wind farm. Should the planning request be approved, community funding from Coomatallin would continue to benefit local groups and good causes in the vicinity of the wind farm for its extended lifetime.

Beyond community funding, the wind farm's continued operation would maintain commercial rate payments to Cork County Council. These payments provide financial contributions towards services in Cork, such as roads, local infrastructure, and public services.

Climate and Energy Objectives

If approved by Cork County Council, the extended operational life would ensure Coomatallin Wind Farm can continue to help Ireland meet its climate action obligations and support the country's ongoing security of energy supply. The wind farm would be able to continue generating vital renewable energy for another 20 years, supporting Ireland's ambitious climate and energy targets well into the future.

Ciaran Maguire, Onshore Wind O&M General Manager Ireland for SSE Renewables, stated that Coomatallin Wind Farm has been generating clean, home-grown energy in West Cork since 2006. He emphasized that the proposed life extension has the potential to continue supporting Ireland's climate and energy targets while sustaining the positive impact of the Coomatallin Community Fund, ensuring that local groups and initiatives in West Cork can continue to benefit for many more years to come.

The quoted figures for homes powered are based on projected installed capacity, a typical projected wind load factor of 33%, and a typical annual consumption of 4,200 kWh. The carbon emissions displacement figure of 3,925 metric tonnes is based on projected annual MWh output and the latest average electricity consumption emission factor of 226.3g/kWh, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland in its 2024 Energy Conversion and Emission Factor Statistics, which was published in 2025.

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