Council to explore installation of solar panels over car parks

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Athlone could benefit from a proposed pilot project installing Solar PV carport systems by 2026, the latest meeting of the Athlone-Moate Municipal District of Westmeath County Council has heard.

Cllr John Dolan called on the council to carry out “a feasibility study on the viability of covering our public car parks with Solar PV to provide power to the national grid and shelter for vehicles.”

He noted that similar projects in England and across Europe have shown that solar installations can be built without reducing parking capacity.

“It frustrates me to see perfectly good agricultural land being used for solar PV when we have so many car parks in urban areas where the power could be immediately used,” said Cllr Dolan.

“We have numerous car parks within the environment of urban areas where the power will be immediately used and makes perfect sense financially. The price you're looking at is maybe half a million, and you would make a return of between 60 to 80,000 a year.

"They would be paid back in probably seven years. It's something where the technology is there, it's just a matter of having the will to do it.”

Cllr Dolan’s motion received unanimous backing from fellow councillors.

Mayor Vinny McCormack agreed that renewable energy should form part of all future developments.

“We should be exploring every opportunity to install renewables,” he said. “Many of our car parks could accommodate Solar PV systems. With agricultural land, they're able to install vertical solar panels within fields, and spread a good distance apart. They are able to absorb more than enough sun and not interfere with the grazing land at all.”

Cllr Aengus O’Rourke welcomed the proposal, highlighting how far solar technology has advanced.

“This is a great initiative. People often think of solar panels as relying on direct sunlight, but PV panels work on daylight alone, something Ireland has plenty of. Their efficiency has improved dramatically, even in the past three years.”

Cllr Tom Farrell also voiced his support, saying councillors should see a working system in operation and move quickly to establish a pilot scheme.

In a written response, the council executive confirmed that its Climate Action team has been assessing suitable council-owned sites for Photovoltaic (PV) installations.

“These projects have the potential to generate electricity, reduce the council’s carbon footprint and reliance on the grid, and strengthen climate resilience in line with the WCC Climate Action Plan 2025–2029,” the statement said.

Following the success of PV installations at Áras an Chontae and similar carport projects in other counties, such as Wicklow, the council has identified several potential sites in Mullingar, Athlone, Kinnegad, and Moate.

Further feasibility studies are underway, with concept designs for the pilot project expected in 2026.

Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme.