The official energisation of the new Liffey Meats Solar Farm took place on Monday, July 14 at the Liffey Meats facility in Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan.

The Liffey Meats Renewable Energy Project represents "a landmark development in Ireland’s move towards sustainable energy within the agri-food sector".

Led by Activ8 Solar Energies, in partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) and Liffey Meats, the development "is now Ireland’s largest behind-the-metre co-located solar and wind energy installation", according to the project partners.

Located at the Liffey Meats' processing facility in Ballyjamesduff, Co. Cavan, the €3 million project successfully integrates a 4.5MW solar farm with an existing 3MW wind turbine, forming a hybrid renewable energy system.

This co-located approach maximises on-site energy generation and sets a new benchmark for renewable energy adoption in industrial operations across Ireland.

A special event to mark the official opening of the site took place yesterday and was attended by the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Niamh Smyth as well as local politicians.

Agriland was in attendance at the event also.

The key partners in the project were:

Activ8 Energies;
Liffey Meats;
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).

Attending the launch of the project, Minister Smyth highlighted the significance of the development as a model for Ireland’s renewable energy future and a testament to successful collaboration between public and private sectors. 

Covering approximately 17ac, the Liffey Meats Solar Farm is being described as the largest behind-the-meter solar project in Ireland.

By combining solar and wind generation onsite, it aims to "significantly enhance energy resilience for Liffey Meats while delivering major carbon savings", according to the company.

The solar farm is made up of 6,640 solar panels, each with an output of 700w, which is expected to generate enough clean energy to offset 590,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions annually. 

 Speaking to Agriland at the official opening of the site, CEO of Activ8 Energies Ciarán Marron, said: “This installation is not just about energy saving - it represents a significant step forward for how industrial energy users in Ireland can adopt renewables at scale.

“The team at Activ8, led by commercial operations director, Martin Mulholland, delivered a project which demonstrates what is possible through innovation and partnership.” 

SEAI director of business Declan Meally added: “Projects like this demonstrate the importance of combining ambition with practical solutions.

Chief financial officer at Liffey Meats, Derek McDermott said: “This investment reinforces our commitment to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint.

"By generating renewable energy onsite, we’re ensuring long-term energy resilience for our operations, contributing meaningfully to Ireland’s climate goals, and our target to deliver a carbon neutral value chain.” 

The project’s main goals include:

Providing energy resilience for the client;
Reducing onsite carbon emissions;
Contributing to Ireland’s 2030 climate targets;
Achieving substantial energy savings.

The initiative was supported by grant funding from SEAI under the Non-Domestic Microgeneration Grant (NDMG) scheme and created employment for approximately 60 people during peak construction. 

To enable safe and efficient operation of both the existing 3MW wind turbine and the new 4.5MW solar farm, a state-of-the-art SCADA system was implemented to meet ESBN and EirGrid regulations, setting a new benchmark for hybrid renewable energy projects in the country. 

Activ8 Solar Energies has 20 years of industry experience and more than 250,000 solar panels installed nationwide.

The SEAI is Ireland’s national energy authority and aims to work with government, industry, and citizens "to transform Ireland into a society based on sustainable energy structures, technologies, and practices".

SEAI supports research, development, and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures to help Ireland meet its climate goals.

Liffey Meats is a leading Irish beef processor with a long tradition of delivering beef products to markets worldwide.

The company aims to integrate responsible practices across its operations to reduce environmental impact and support Ireland’s agricultural sector, and has a commitment to sustainability and innovation.