Pin your passion
We want you to experience the benefits of renewable energy!
The Blackhall Solar Farm community fund is designed to keep the projects you’re passionate about in the community. With up to €400,000 per year, it can support environmental projects, voluntary organisations, community groups, and schools situated near the solar farm project.
Our campaign Pin Your Passion allows you to discover projects the people in your community are passionate about and to get involved yourself by adding your passion to the map. Use the interactive map to see the passion projects of your community. You can explore the details – and don’t forget to vote for your favourite projects!
Do you want to pin your passion and put your project on the map?
We especially welcome ideas around the themes of environmental awareness, biodiversity, energy-saving, sustainable transport, local food, and waste and recycling. You can suggest your project by clicking on Pin Your Passion.
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Pinned passions
Playground
A place for the children to be with their family and friends.
Buzzing Bees and Beetles (example)
This scheme will help attracting a variety of pollinators to the local nature.
Sun-Powered Local Club (example)
Solar panels for a local club or local school will help reduce their electricity bill.
Mulhussey 
+ Playground
A diverse playground for children of all ages. A place, for the children to go, to be with their family and friends outside of school. Whether it’s a weekend family outing or an impromptu meet-up with friends, the playground is the perfect spot to gather, unwind, and enjoy. It’s not just a play area, it’s a vibrant hub where people of all ages come together to create memories, share passions, and build lasting connections.
Jenkinstown 0+ Buzzing Bees and Beetles (example)
Please note this is an example passion project. Please do not vote for this project as votes will be dismissed.
Pollinators and pollination are critical for food production and human livelihoods, and directly link wild ecosystems with agricultural production systems. Bees for example are more than just small honey collectors: They are crucial for biodiversity and health all over the world. Together with other insects, they are responsible for plant pollination, which ensures the survival and diversity of food crops and medicinal plants. The Buzzing Bees and Beetles project will ensure that wildflower meadows and pollinator habitats are planted along the local area and this provide a safe haven for our precious pollinators.
Blackhall 0+ Sun-Powered Local Club (example)
Please note this is an example passion project. Please do not vote for this project as votes will be dismissed.
Solar energy will help to substantially reduce the energy needs of this local club/local school and in turn reduce electricity bills. The renewable energy technology will help the organisation to contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change. Having a solar energy system on the roof will significantly improve the energy efficiency and bring down emissions. With solar panels, they can reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, which are a finite resource and contribute to climate change. The panels also bring increased energy security and less dependence on the grid.
Vote for your passion
Community benefit fund
A key feature of the Government’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) is that for the first time in Ireland a Community Benefit Fund must be established for a renewable energy development that is to be supported by RESS, which is to include Blackhall Solar Farm, at a government mandated sum of €2 per Megawatt hour. For Blackhall Solar Farm, this equates to between €350–€400k per annum (€5.25m–€6m over 15 years). The Community Fund is to be used to support the environmental, social, and cultural
well-being of the local community.
Under RESS, the fund committee is to be established as the decision-making body for the fund. It will consist of Blackhall Solar Farm Limited, whose role is in administration and governance and local community volunteers. Public Representatives will also be encouraged to be actively involved. The SEAI has been appointed to provide funds support, oversight, and compliance. The Department of Environment Climate and Communications is to provide strategic direction for the fund committee. The fund priorities are to be in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which include quality education, affordable and clean energy, sustainable communities, and climate action. Further information can be found at: gov.ie - Public Consultation on Good Practice Principles for Community Benefit Funds under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (www.gov.ie).
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