Ion Renewables Ltd, an Irish renewable energy developer, has received planning permission from Longford County Council to construct a stationary battery energy storage facility on a site adjacent to the Richmond 110 kilovolt electrical substation in Ballykenny, Cloondara, according to Ireland Live.

John Ward, director of Ion Renewables, lists his registered company address as 16 The Seapoint Building, 44-45 Clontarf Road, Dublin 3. The development site is owned by David McCann.

Ion Renewables' approved facility comprises eighteen 20-foot containers with five medium voltage transformers, construction of a single storey substation building alongside a GRP kiosk and acoustic fence, plus all associated development works.

The application faced objections from local resident Frank Beirne, who highlighted what he described as application gaps, including incomplete technical form responses and absent distance measurements from the proposed battery facility to nearby homes. Beirne raised concerns that no planning permission appeared to exist for the site entrance.

Longford County Council granted the application with ten attached conditions covering road safety, visual amenity, environmental protection, proper planning and preservation of archaeological heritage.

Ion Renewables is permitted to carry out site development and building work between 7am to 7pm Mondays to Fridays, and between 8am to 2pm on Saturdays. Work is prohibited on Sundays or public holidays.

Conditions stipulate that all authorised structures shall be removed when they become obsolete and require decommissioning, with the site reinstated accordingly.

Parties wishing to challenge the council's decision have until Tuesday 7 April to lodge appeals with An Coimisiún Pleanála. The approval demonstrates continued expansion of battery energy storage infrastructure across Ireland supporting renewable energy integration and grid stability as the country pursues climate targets.

Explore comprehensive details on the battery storage facility approval and conditions in the complete report.