New planning guidelines for the delivery of solar farms in Ireland have been published by the Irish Solar Energy Association (ISEA).
The guidelines aim to bring greater clarity and certainty to the planning of the farms and were drafted following consultation with industry and planning officials.
Areas such as community engagement, archaeological assessments and glint and glare are covered within the guidelines.
The first Irish solar farms were connected to the national grid in May 2022, with 17 now connected.
The ISEA has said an efficient planning process will be essential to increasing the number of farms connected.
ISEA CEO Conall Bolger said planning applications for solar farms "have a high approval rate" but processing applications can be delayed by "inconsistencies between planning bodies".
"In producing these guidelines, we aim to address the challenges that both applicants and planners face to deliver higher quality applications that can processed in a more efficient manner in future," he said.
