A major conference focussed on the funding, planning and legal challenges faced by Northern Ireland’s solar energy sector was supported by Belfast law firm Carson McDowell.

The commercial law firm sponsored this week’s Solar: The next energy opportunity conference at the Grand Opera House in Belfast, which explored the solar energy landscape in Northern Ireland.

The event was chaired by Dawson McConkey, partner at Carson McDowell, and also heard from Gary McGhee, head of planning and environmental law at the firm.

Representatives from academia, regulatory bodies, front line delivery and the environmental sector also spoke at the half-day conference.

Mr McGhee said: “Carson McDowell was delighted to sponsor this conference. Solar may indeed prove to be ‘the next opportunity’ but it faces a host of hurdles in terms of funding, planning and legal obstacles. This conference focussed on these challenges and how they can be addressed in the coming months and years.

“Planning permissions for solar farms are increasingly being challenged in the courts through judicial reviews. My legal update covered these and specifically, case law on challenges to screening decisions and failures to assess grid connection.”