A new alliance of rural community groups gathered at Cork County Hall on Tuesday to highlight their concerns about the speed and scale of renewable energy development across Co Cork.

Ten groups with concerns about solar farms, wind farms and battery storage projects in their local communities, attended a meeting of Cork County Council and met with councillors to raise their concerns as the umbrella group Cork Communities Alliance for Change (CCAC).

Catherine Buicke of the alliance told the Irish Farmers Journal that renewable energy projects are under-regulated and in some cases the regulations are out of date.

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She referred to the height of wind turbines in proximity to homes, with associated light flicker and noise.

“In relation to solar farms, the issue is they’re taking over prime agricultural land, which is shocking, absolutely shocking. And once these lands are actually turned into industrial [areas], they’ll never go back farming. The food industry is going to be affected hugely,” she said.

“The fear among communities where battery projects are proposed relates to fire,” said Buicke, referring to a January 2025 fire in Claregalway Corporate Park in Co Galway at the Xerotech lithium ion battery production plant.

The fire caused the closure of two local schools and the evacuation of neighbouring businesses on the day.

The group wants to put pressure the Government to have “appropriate regulations in place before any further renewable energy projects are allowed to apply for planning” and to push Cork County Council to update its county development plan.

Jess Foley from Ballyhea, Charleville, said she was there because of 850ac of solar panels which were granted planning permission in her locality.

“We feel these developments shouldn’t be allowed go ahead until regulations are put in place, whether they have been granted [planning permission] or are in the planning process,” she said.

On Tuesday, a motion by Fine Gael councillor Liam Madden proposed that the council ask Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to “update the regulations for wind farms immediately, before any further planning applications are accepted or approved”.

The current guidelines date back to 2006. The motion was carried by councillors on the day.

The groups represented were the Gooseberry Hill Action Group, Laharn Rural Preservation Group, Newmarket Environmental Protection Group, Tullacondra Wind Farm Community Group, Residents Ballyhea/Charleville, Inch Killeagh Rural Preservation Group, Annagh Against Wind Farms, Nagle View Turbine Aware, Maughanaclea Community Action Group, and the Gougane Community Action Group.