Blessing boats can be difficult enough with a crowded fleet in a sheltered port. Blessing 120-ft-high turbines on a wild and windy Atlantic bog posed something of a challenge yesterday for a Connemara parish priest.
Undeterred, an t-Athair Micheal O Flannabhra sprinkled the contents of his aspergillum on Galway's first farm, and on all those who came to pray for its success. "Protestant turbines," whispered one of the many invited guests, noting the name of the Danish manufacturer on the construction site in Indreabhan.
The four turbines have already begun production at the 23-acre site on Bothar Bui, Indreabhan, but were given the official "switch-on" yesterday by the Minister of State for Public Enterprise, Mr Joe Jacob. Fuinneamh Gaoithe Teoranta, as it is called, is backed by the enterprising Connemara businessman and Udaras na Gaeltachta board member, Mr Pol O Foighil, and his son, Sean.
The £2 million venture has received substantial funding from the EU THERMIE renewable energy programme, backing from the ICC bank, and is the State's 10th wind energy project. The 2.5 megawatt output is sufficient to supply the needs of a town the size of Tuam. The electricity generated will be carried by underground cable to a sub-station where the power is fed into the ESB by an overhead connection line.
The project received planning approval several years ago, and has attracted widespread local support, according to Mr Sean O Foighil. Although the nearest house is only 500 metres away, there were no objections, he said. The local landowner stands to gain, in any case, as he can still graze his cattle and cut his turf. What's more, one of his turf stacks was even drying under a turbine yesterday - before the predictable rain came in with a fresh south-westerly wind.
The O Foighils have planning approval for further projects on the Aran Islands, and the aim is to make Inis Meain a "100 per cent renewable energy island", according to Mr Peter Keavney, of the Galway Energy Agency. There are plans to twin Inis Meain with Samso in Denmark, as part of a millennium /renewable energy initiative, he said. Three more wind energy projects in south Galway are awaiting contracts to take electricity before going ahead, he said.
Mr Jacob said he was confident the number of wind farms would be doubled in the next 12 months, and urged other county councils to be as supportive as Galway in terms of planning approval.
The Government's Third Alternative Requirement competition aims to increase renewable energy-based electricity generating plant to 10 per cent of total capacity by the end of this year, and in turn reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. Last year's Finance Act introduced tax relief for renewable energy projects to encourage corporate investment.
