Tirlán has announced the successful commissioning of its new on‑site solar farm at its multi‑purpose integrated dairy processing facility in Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny.

According to the co-op, this "marks a milestone" in its transition to renewable energy and lower‑carbon manufacturing.

The 6.5ha, 8 MWp ground‑mounted solar farm is a behind‑the‑meter, self‑generation project, meaning all electricity produced is consumed directly on site at the Ballyragget facility.

The solar farm is expected to generate approximately 7.6GWh of clean, renewable electricity annually, which will meet around 34% of the site’s imported electricity demand and significantly reduce its reliance on grid power.

Over its expected 25‑year lifespan, the solar installation will offset close to 50,000t of carbon emissions, Tirlán said.

The Ballyragget solar farm was delivered in partnership with ESB’s Smart Energy Services, with construction works carried out by Grange Solar, and forms a key part of Tirlán’s wider Living Proof sustainability strategy.

Commenting on the launch, John Murphy, chairperson Tirlán, said: “This solar farm is a major investment in clean, indigenous energy and a key milestone in our journey to decarbonise operations at Ballyragget.

Lisa Koep, chief ESG officer at Tirlán, said: “This investment builds on the success of our FarmGen roof-top solar programme and complements wider initiatives to reduce emissions across our facilities and supply base.

According to Tirlán, the Ballyragget processing facility is one of the largest multi‑purpose integrated dairy plants in Europe, employing more than 360 people and processing significant volumes of milk, whey, and cream annually.

The co-op outlined that it has invested over €180 million in developing and upgrading the site over the past decade, including earlier investments in energy‑efficient technologies such as combined heat and power.