Irish developer Elgin Energy Services Ltd has been given the go-ahead to build a 97ac solar farm in Offaly.

Offaly County Council granted permission for the development of the 23MW Bishopswood Solar Farm in the townlands of Trascan and Clondoolusk.

The solar farm will power 15,000 homes annually and eliminate an estimated 926,000t of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifespan (40 years). The development will consist of solar PV panels on ground-mounted frames interconnected by underground cables.

Elgin Energy Services is an Irish solar energy company based in Dublin that has developed solar farm projects across sites in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales and has production capacity to supply 75,000 households (230MW) with electricity.