Junior Cycle Geography CYCLONE 5. Read the article and answer the questions.
Electrical Supply Is Brighter Than Ever with Our First Solar Farm
Neoen’s solar farm in Wicklow was the first large-scale ground-mounted solar farm to supply the Irish national grid.
Ireland’s first ever solar farm opened in Wicklow in April 2022. The first large- scale ground mounted solar farm to supply electricity has been opened near Ashford in Co. Wicklow.
Millvale solar farm incorporates 33,600 solar panels and covers a quarter of a kilometre square. It was developed by French company,
Neoen, a leading producer of renewable energy.
The farm will provide enough power for approximately 3,600 homes every year.
It is estimated that the electricity it generates will prevent 4,800 tonnes of greenhouse emissions, helping Ireland to meet its 2030 climate change agreements.
Exam hints!
(i) Where did Ireland’s first ever solar farm open?
(ii) How many solar panels are located on this farm?
(iii) List one social, one economic and one environmental impact this solar farm will have on Ireland.
When presented with a news article in the exam, read it carefully and highlight any key words. You can use direct quotes from the article to back up your answer. The information needed to answer the questions may not be presented in the same order as the questions asked. For the social impact in (iii), think about installation and maintenance.