Public sector solar projects in Ireland
9 solar installations at Irish hospitals, colleges, councils and water plants are listed here with size, installer and source. The largest is Causeway Hospital, Coleraine at 1.2 MW. The planning register holds a further 79 applications.
Which hospitals, colleges, councils and water plants have installed solar?
| Site | County | Size | Installer | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Causeway Hospital, Coleraine2025 | Londonderry (NI) | 1.2 MW | Not named | Northern Health and Social Care Trust |
| University of Galway campus | Galway | 500 kW | Not named | University of Galway |
| Defence Forces, Casement Aerodrome Hangar 5 | Dublin | 358 kW | Pinergy SolarElectric | Pinergy |
| Wicklow County Council, County Buildings2022 | Wicklow | 300 kW | Enerpower | Wicklow County Council |
| HSE St Mary's campus, Phoenix Park2023 | Dublin | 100 kW | Not named | SEAI |
| Mayo County Council, Áras an Chontae | Mayo | 84 kW | Not named | Mayo County Council |
| UCC, ORB building extension2020 | Cork | 42 kW | Not named | University College Cork |
| Marine Institute HQ, Oranmore2024 | Galway | 783 panels | Activ8 | Marine Institute |
| Uisce Éireann, Thurles treatment plant2020 | Tipperary | 230 panels | Glan Agua MEIC | Uisce Éireann |
Why does solar suit hospitals, colleges, councils and water plants?
Public bodies have to cut emissions by 2030. Water and wastewater plants pump all day and have fenced land for ground arrays.
- Causeway Hospital, Coleraine: Largest PV system on any NI health building; 119.45 tonnes of CO2 saved in its first year; installer not named.
- University of Galway campus: Snippet-only: 500 kW installed across campus rooftops with a further 500 kW scoped; installer not stated.
- Defence Forces, Casement Aerodrome Hangar 5: On a west-facing hangar roof; the largest installation in the Defence Forces estate.
- Wicklow County Council, County Buildings: Snippet-only: solar carport over 107 parking spaces, about 1,600 sq m, producing since summer 2022.
- HSE St Mary's campus, Phoenix Park: Snippet-only: installed over three months in 2023, with 50 kW of it on the 100-bed hospital unit; installer not stated.
What costs and savings have been published?
These are the figures the business or its installer gave. They have not been audited.
- Causeway Hospital, Coleraine1.2 MW
- Cost
- £1.2 million
- Saving
- about £141.7k in the first year
- Wicklow County Council, County Buildings300 kW
- Share of use
- sized to 40% of building load
- Output
- 265,800 to 285,000 kWh a year
Source: Wicklow County Council
- Uisce Éireann, Thurles treatment plant
- Share of use
- 10% cut in imports
- Output
- 83,264 kWh a year
Source: Uisce Éireann
What is in the planning register?
The register has 79 applications for solar at this kind of premises, and 66 were granted. The named sites are below, largest first. "Granted" is permission to build. A scheme is shown as built only where a published report says so.
| Site | County | Size applied for | Status | Planning record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballymore Eustace Water Treatment Plant | Kildare | 880 kW | Granted | 2022, ref 221371 |
| Cavanhill Water Treatment Plant | Louth | 840 kW | Granted | 2024, ref 2460066 |
| KCETB | Kilkenny | 600 kW | Granted | 2026, ref 2660382 |
| Dunshaughlin Water Treatment Plant | Meath | 415 kW | Granted | 2024, ref 2460084 |
| Osberstown Wastewater Treatment Plant | Kildare | 325 kW | Granted | 2022, ref 221343 |
| Ballyboden Water Treatment Plant | Dublin | 260 kW | Granted | 2024, ref SD24A/0069W |
| West Pier Pumping Station | Dublin | 235 kW | Granted | 2024, ref D24A/0140 |
| Castletown Tara Wastewater Treatment Plant | Meath | 200 kW | Granted | 2022, ref 221449 |
| St. Mary's Abbey, Glencairn | Waterford | 150 kW | Granted | 2026, ref 2660135 |
| Ballany Water Treatment Plant | Westmeath | 145 kW | Granted | 2023, ref 2347 |
Show 15 more applications
| Site | County | Size applied for | Status | Planning record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athlone Wastewater Treatment Plant | Westmeath | 130 kW | Granted | 2022, ref 227 |
| MTU North Campus | Kerry | 125 kW | Under construction | 2026, ref 267 |
| Navan Wastewater Treatment Facility | Meath | 110 kW | Granted | 2022, ref 22576 |
| The Office of Public Works, Trim | Meath | 105 kW | Built | 2020, ref TA200883 |
| Moate Wastewater Treatment Plant | Westmeath | 105 kW | Granted | 2023, ref 2360423 |
| Trim Wastewater Treatment Plant | Meath | 100 kW | Granted | 2023, ref 23417 |
| Castlepollard Wastewater Treatment Plant | Westmeath | 100 kW | Granted | 2022, ref 22496 |
| St. Anthony's Nursing Home | Limerick | 94 kW | Withdrawn | 2022, ref 22458 |
| Athy Wastewater Treatment Plant | Kildare | 70 kW | Granted | 2022, ref 22173 |
| Ballivor Wastewater Treatment Plant | Meath | 55 kW | Granted | 2023, ref 2360107 |
| St. Joseph's Hospital | Donegal | 52 kW | Granted | 2024, ref 2461387 |
| Ferbane Wastewater Treatment Works | Offaly | 45 kW | Granted | 2021, ref 21486 |
| Glendalough Hermitage Centre | Wicklow | 37 kW | Granted | 2024, ref 2460730 |
| Nenagh Sewage Treatment Plant | Tipperary | 35 kW | Built | 2017, ref 17601274 |
| Confey College | Kildare | 30 kW | Built | 2017, ref 17132 |
Where to go next
- All commercial solar projects, across every sector
- Commercial solar panel cost by system size
- Commercial solar grants for public sector sites