Facebook gets thumbs up for massive wind farm in Kilkenny

Facebook’s plans to use the power created from a Kilkenny wind farm to offset its Irish operations power usage have been approved by the local authority.

Earlier this year it emerged the social media giant had chosen a site at the former Lisheen Mines near Urlingford as a wind farm  to offset the power needed to maintain its operations in Ireland.

Last month Facebook’s plans hit a glitch after the developers, Brookfield Renewable Partners, had to answer the Kilkenny Council’s queries about the overall power the farm would create, the size of the turbines and further questions about the permission to use the land.

Facebook had previously agreed a deal with Brookfield Renewable Partners to buy the energy produced by the Lisheen wind farm.

Brookfield responded to the council’s request and provided a detailed 160-page document for the planner’s needs.

Kilkenny County Council gave the green light for the project after studying the reponses.

Once completed, the Lisheen III wind farm will be capable of producing enough energy to power 20,000 homes.