Planning approval secured for Straboe Solar and Energy Storage project

Lightsource bp has secured planning approval for the Straboe Solar and Energy Storage Project, a proposed 102MW solar PV installation with a 60MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Straboe, Tullow, Co. Carlow, Ireland.

Once operational, the hybrid project is expected to generate enough low-carbon energy to power the equivalent of 26,400 homes per year, while avoiding an estimated 47,100 tonnes of CO₂e annually – the same as taking 28,300 cars off the road each year. Hybrid solar and storage projects are important developments in the energy transition. Pairing solar generation with battery storage systems supports grid stability by storing electricity when supply is high and releasing it when it is needed most. The project has been carefully designed following detailed environmental assessments covering landscape and visual impact, heritage and archaeology, ecology, ornithology, and flood risk.

Alongside delivering low-carbon, reliable energy to Ireland’s electricity network, the project will support biodiversity enhancements across the 320‑acre site and provide long-term environmental benefits. It also represents a meaningful contribution to Ireland’s renewable energy and climate‑action goals.