Danone gets go-ahead for solar panel plan in Macroom

Dairy and food giant Danone has received the go-ahead for a solar panel installation at its plant in Macroom.

The French multi-national firm had lodged plans with Cork County Council to install a ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array with an approximate capacity of 6MW, comprising approximately 11,816 photovoltaic panels within a site area of approximately 11.43 hectares.

The application was granted approval by Cork County Council this week.

Danone is waiting on a decision for a separate planning application to build an advanced medical nutrition facility, which could open in late 2028 and become fully operational by mid-2031 if approved.

The company’s planned new facility will develop specialised liquid nutritional drinks for medical use, including for cancer patients, stroke recovery and frailty.

It will be Ireland’s first liquid medical nutrition facility, marking a shift from powdered infant formula to higher-value healthcare product