Noel Thomas raises Cregmore / Grange solar and battery storage concerns at County Council: “Communities need certainty, safety and proper regulation”
Independent Ireland Galway West candidate Noel Thomas today raised residents’ concerns at a meeting of Galway County Council regarding the proposed solar farm and battery energy storage (BESS) development in the Cregmore–Claregalway / Grange area.
Mr Thomas, who has visited the community and attended the protest at County Buildings, said families are living with real uncertainty — particularly around the safety of large battery storage units and the lack of clear regulation governing them.
Speaking after the meeting, Noel Thomas said:
“I spoke today about the uncertainty the community has around the safety of the battery storage units — and the lack of regulation around them.
I also raised the fact that three firefighters are still out of work following the battery fire in Claregalway. That was a small incident. People are asking, quite reasonably: what happens if a large-scale storage unit goes on fire?
We need updated, independent safety assessments, and we need a stronger planning framework so communities aren’t left carrying the risk.”
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Call for planning change: keep large-scale solar away from homes
Mr Thomas told the Council he will be seeking an amendment to the County Development Plan to ensure large-scale solar farms and associated battery storage infrastructure are not sited beside established residential areas.
“One of the practical steps we can take is to change the County Development Plan so these large-scale developments aren’t built right beside communities. Renewable energy can’t be delivered by putting industrial-scale risk at the edge of people’s homes.”
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“If it’s truly green, it should stand up to scrutiny”
Mr Thomas also said that if developments of this nature are being presented as unquestionably “green”, then their proponents should be willing to consider alternative siting approaches — including remote, state-owned lands — and to prove their environmental credentials under the highest level of scrutiny.
“If these projects are as green as is being suggested, then they should be moved to remote, state-owned areas. And if that’s challenged, we’ll soon find out just how ‘green’ they really are.”
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Communities First: what Noel Thomas is calling for
Noel Thomas is calling for:
• Updated, independent safety assessments for battery storage proposals, reflecting current best practice and risk management.
• A plain-English, site-specific emergency response plan, including access routes, containment measures and coordination with local emergency services.
• Clear regulatory standards and oversight so communities are not left in uncertainty.
• A County Development Plan alteration to prevent large-scale solar and BESS infrastructure being located near established residential areas.
Mr Thomas concluded:
“This is not about being against renewable energy. It’s about being for safety, transparency and proper planning. Communities have a right to certainty — and they have a right to be protected.”
