DAIRY producer Dale Farm is to build a new solar farm to power its plant outside Cookstown.
The 'private wire' farm will be the largest of its kind in Ireland when work gets under way next year.
The 37 acre site will be made up of more than 18,000 solar modules and is expected to meet as much as a 20 per cent of Dale Farm's power needs.
The 5MW solar farm will be connected directly to the private network of the business.
Tom Marren, Chief Executive at Dublin-headquartered CES Energy which is behind the solar farm said it would be "a key solution for delivering cost efficiencies and reduced carbon".
Dale Farm group chief executive Nick Whelan added: "This will not only be the largest of its kind on the island of Ireland - we understand it will be one of the most significant solar projects supplying renewable energy to dairy producers worldwide.
"Dale Farm is committed to sustainability and the opportunity to procure solar electricity will aid the company in lowering our carbon footprint and in reducing our operating costs.
"We recently invested £7 million to further expand our consumer cheddar products operation at Dunmanbridge, now one of the most advanced facilities of its kind in Europe.
"There is a shortage of available electricity in the local area which, to date, has made our ambitious growth plans challenging. It is strategically essential that as a business focused on growth we have certainty of supply and importantly, capability of supply.
"The considerable savings delivered from solar power will be reinvested in the business to optimise efficiency across our processing plants, which ultimately adds to our ability to pay a higher milk price.
"Our core objective is to ensure that we carry on building a strong and viable business for the future, which we can continue to be proud of, and this new development is most welcome."
