Wind farms generate increased attention

Four separate consortiums planning to develop offshore wind farms on sand banks in shallow water off the east and south coast claim they could solve the problem of energy shortages within five years.

Ever since the Kish consortium (ESB, Powergen and Saorgus Energy) unveiled plans last March for a 200 megawatt wind farm on the Kish bank in Dublin Bay - capable of supplying all of Dublin's domestic electricity needs - the interest in offshore wind power has mushroomed.

Currently four applications for foreshore licences to undertake extensive testing of wind speeds have been submitted to the Department of Marine for a dozen separate sites in Irish waters.

According to sources in the Department of Marine these licences will be granted after the minister unveils a policy document on offshore wind farms. Its publication is imminent. So what's behind the rush towards turbine technology?

Wind energy has seen spectacular growth in recent years because of the drive towards energy efficiency and the desire to preserve the environment, according to manager of renewables at ESB, Mr Dave O'Connor.

"The cost of producing wind energy is becoming extremely competitive in comparison to other forms of electricity generation," says Mr O'Connor.

He estimates the cost of producing one megawatt of wind energy at 3p, whereas it costs about 2.4p for one megawatt of gas powered energy.

But with the Republic's emissions levels heading well beyond the figure laid down at the Kyoto Environmental Summit, wind power is seen by the Department of Public Enterprise as a potential solution.

However, according to Mr O'Connor the introduction of wind energy on land has had its fair share of troubles. The companies which won many of the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) licences, which enable suppliers to sell electricity to the ESB, tend to have proposed wind farms in exposed areas open to public view. This is causing difficulties with planning permission, he says.

According to the Department of Public Enterprise several developments are being held up by planning restraints. Compounding this problem, several wind power developments with planning permission - representing around 100 Megawatts of power - have not secured an AER licence.

A renewable energy strategy group under the aegis of the Department of Public Enterprise is due to report in the spring, and is expected to put forward proposals to deal with the current bottleneck.

Mr O'Connor believes offshore developments could be the answer. The distance from shore will enable the plants to be much larger than onshore structures and should eliminate many of the public objections, he says.

The Kish consortium has provisionally proposed erecting 60 metre towers with 40-metre blades.

The consortium has been able to conduct a feasibility study on wind speed, turbulence, temperature, air pressure, wave, current and tidal strengths through an agreement with the Commission of Irish Lights and the Meteorological Office.

According to Mr O'Connor these have all produced favourable results and the project is now gearing up for development.

However, before any favourable sites can be developed each consortium will have to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment with its application for a foreshore lease. One potential problem could be the Kish bank's importance as a major feeding area for the Roseate Tern which is protected under European law.