Community Engagement
Empower Renewables strongly believes that community involvement is an integral part of any renewable energy development. Our projects will evolve based on community and landowner participation as well as expert design input. Our hope is that through open dialogue an environment where the local community closest to the project’s Study Area are fully involved with, and have input on, the proposal. We believe that when the local community is part of a renewable projects design conversation from the beginning a better project proposal can be designed and realised. Through active engagement, we aim to create open and positive relationships with local stakeholders that remain throughout the lifespan of the project.
Community engagement for the Curraghmore Renewable Energy Project began in March 2025 with the distribution of a newsletter and information letter to residents living closest to the project’s Study Area. Since then, the project team has continued to provide regular updates and opportunities for community input, by issuing further newsletters and information letters as the project’s design progressed. All of these shared publications are available to view on this website under the Publications tab, or by following this link.
Two online project design webinars were held in June and December 2025. These webinars provided an opportunity to learn more about the project, its design and the development process, as well as to engage with members of the project team.
Recordings of both webinars are available under the Webinars tab, or by following this link.
In November 2025, members of the project team carried out door-to-door consultations with residents living within a 2 km radius of the proposed project’s Study Area. This consultation provided a valuable opportunity for the project team to engage directly with local residents at their own homes, ensuring that those living closest to the proposed project had an opportunity to learn more about the project, ask questions and share their views at an early stage of its development. Further information and material from this outreach are available under the Consultation Material tab, or by following this link.
The first in-person community information event was held over two days in March 2026 at Cois Abhann, Inistioge. The event provided an opportunity for members of the local community and other interested stakeholders to meet the project team, ask questions, input on the evolving project design and share their views. All material presented at the event are available under the Consultation Material tab, or by following this link.
The second in-person community information event was held on the evening of October 6th, 2026, at Cois Abhann, Inistioge. The event provided an opportunity for members of the local community and other interested stakeholders to meet the project team, ask questions, input on the evolving project design and share their views. All material presented at the event are available under the Consultation Material tab, or by following this link.
These engagement activities have provided ongoing opportunities for dialogue, with input from the local community and interested stakeholders helping to inform the ongoing development of the project.
The actual annual contribution to the Community Benefit Fund will vary from year to year, depending on factors such as wind conditions and the resulting level of electricity generation. Initial wind measurements from the Study Area indicate that the proposed project may have the potential to achieve an above-average capacity factor, which could result in a higher annual Community Benefit Fund.
Under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), the Community Benefit Fund would provide funding to support initiatives and projects that deliver benefits within the local community. The accompanying graphic shows an outline of the fund allocation under RESS.
We welcome suggestions and ideas from the local community on how the fund could best be used, including proposals for local projects or initiatives that could be supported through the fund.
In addition to the Community Benefit Fund, the proposed project would require an estimated investment of more than €72 million to construct. It would provide long-term, sustainable, low-carbon electricity generation infrastructure, helping to meet Ireland’s growing demand for renewable energy. The project could also deliver a range of wider benefits for the local area, including investment in local infrastructure and electrical systems, local employment opportunities and an estimated €15 million contribution to Kilkenny County Council in commercial rates over the lifetime of the project.
Together, these benefits have the potential to provide a lasting contribution to the local community while supporting Ireland’s transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon energy system.
Community Benefits
Substantial and tangible benefits will be delivered through a community fund should the project be successful. Empower Renewables aligns with the principles of RESS (Renewable Electricity Support Scheme) which outlines that for every megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity generated by a renewable energy project, a contribution of €2 will be allocated to the Community Benefit Fund for a period of 15 years. Funds are provided directly to nearby dwellings, not-for-profit community enterprises and local initiatives, clubs and societies.
At the current Design Iteration Three stage, the Curraghmore Renewable Energy Project is proposing eight individual wind turbines, with a combined electricity-generating capacity of approximately 48 megawatts (MW). Based on an indicative capacity factor of 31%, using the average suggested by Wind Energy Ireland, the proposed project could generate an estimated Community Benefit Fund of approximately €260,698 per year, on average, over a 15-year period.
We would like to hear your views
We welcome conversation, engagement and interaction with you on any aspect of how we propose to progress the Curraghmore Renewable Energy project and particularly on how we communicate project information to you. If you would like to chat about this proposed project further, please get in touch.
E-mail us at: Curraghmore@empower-re.ie
Telephone: 01 588 0178 to speak with a member of our team
Write to us at: Portview House, Second Floor, Thorncastle Street, Ringsend, Dublin 4, D04 V9Y9
Communication
As part of our project’s public consultation campaign, we will issue further project updates as more detailed project information becomes available. We will host live interactive project design webinars, distribute public newsletters and organise in person project information evenings as the project’s design develops. We will notify you in advance of all our public engagement events by advertisement in the local newspaper, by literature distributed door to door and by posting to this project website. Once these project information events have been facilitated all material will be made available on this website for further viewing.
We are constantly striving for better ways to engage with communities, and we welcome your suggestions in this regard.