In a first for Ireland, Clare County Council has earmarked a string of “strategic areas” covering 9,000 hectares where it intends to see 550MW of onshore wind capacity built by 2017.

Areas were chosen for their wind resource, proximity to grid infrastructure, and lack of potential social and environmental objections, says county manager Tom Coughlan.

The county is seen as a convenient location for wind farms thanks to its high grid density — one benefit of playing host to Moneypoint,