Flogas partners with Ireland’s first solar farm under SRESS

Flogas partners with Meadhill Solar Farm under the Government’s SRESS scheme

A 15-year Power Purchase Agreement supports a farmer-led solar project that combines renewable electricity generation with continued agricultural use

• 15-year Power Purchase Agreement provides long-term commercial certainty to Meadhill Solar Farm
• 1.5-acre farm diversification project features more than 1,000 solar panels
• Innovative dual-use project combines renewable electricity generation with continued agricultural use

25th September 2026 – Flogas, a DCC Energy plc company, today announced it is partnering with Meadhill Solar Farm for the operation of Ireland’s first solar farm under the Government’s Small-Scale Renewable Energy Support Scheme (SRESS), marking a major milestone in Ireland’s green energy transition.

The 650kW facility in Meadstown, Kildorrery, Co. Cork, independently developed by farmer Sean Keating and installed by PV Generation, features more than 1,000 solar panels across 1.5 acres and generates enough clean electricity to power 150 local households annually, while allowing continued grazing of sheep on the land beneath the solar panels.

Through a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Flogas will provide a long-term route to market for the renewable electricity generated by the farm, giving the project the support it needed to receive financing and to operate in future.

Ken O’Byrne, Managing Director of Flogas Energy, said, "Flogas is proud to partner with Sean Keating on this landmark project and to support Ireland’s first solar farm to energise under SRESS. What makes Meadhill Solar Farm significant is that it shows how a long-term PPA can help a farmer-led renewable project move from an idea on paper to a fully operational asset. Our role is to provide the commercial certainty that gives projects like this a route to market and helps unlock the investment needed to bring them forward. We see significant potential for this model to support more farmers, SMEs and independent renewable developers across rural Ireland.”

SRESS, which launched last year, helps small renewable energy projects, like solar and wind, get off the ground. It covers projects that produce between 50kW and 6MW of electricity and  guarantees payments for the electricity produced.

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien, said “The Small-Scale Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is an important part of our strategy to increase renewable electricity generation across Ireland and to enable farmers, rural communities and smaller developers to participate in the energy transition. Meadhill Solar Farm shows how the right policy framework can help turn locally developed ideas into operational renewable energy projects. As Ireland works towards our climate and renewable energy targets, projects like this will have an important role to play in expanding our renewable generation capacity and supporting a more sustainable energy system.”

Independently developed by farmer Sean Keating to diversify revenue streams for his farm and ensure its continued success in the future, Meadhill Solar Farm demonstrates how farmers, small businesses and rural communities play a practical role in Ireland’s transition to renewable energy.

To mark this milestone, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Niall Collins, attended an open day at Meadhill Solar Farm, hosted by the Keating family, to officially mark the commencement of operations.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Niall Collins said, “For farming families, diversification is increasingly important in building sustainable businesses for the future. Meadhill Solar Farm is a practical example of how renewable energy can become part of that story, with Sean Keating continuing to farm the land while creating a new source of income for his family. It demonstrates the opportunities that can arise when farmers are given the means to invest in new areas of enterprise, while ensuring that agriculture remains at the heart of rural communities.”

Sean Keating of Meadhill Solar Farm said, “This project started back in 2017 with a simple vision to diversify our farm’s income and build a sustainable, long-term legacy for my family – and to also do our bit for the Environment.

Bringing it to life required significant work across planning, the ESB grid connection and financing. Support from the Government’s SRESS scheme, along with Flogas coming on board with a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement, was key to making the project bankable.

I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to our project partners Bank of Ireland/SBCI and PV Generation Ltd. It was the support of both, and in particular that of PV Generation Ltd, that was critical in making this milestone possible.

I’m very proud of what we have achieved and deeply grateful for the support of my family and the local community throughout the journey. It’s my pleasure to be able to share this milestone with both at today’s open day..”

If you are a farmer, landowner or SME interested in exploring solar PPA partnerships or project support, please contact enterprise@flogas.ie.