A decision on Ireland’s first offshore wind farm for more than 20 years is due in four months, a gathering of wind energy industry representatives has heard.
Backers of the Oriel Windfarm proposed for the sea off the Co Louth coast are expecting news from An Coimisiún Pleanála by September 21st.
Oriel, jointly owned by ESB and Parkwind, applied for planning permission two years ago, seeking to erect 25 turbines to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 300,000 homes.
If granted permission, it would be Ireland’s second offshore wind farm and the first since the Arklow Bank Windfarm began generating in 2004.
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Wind Energy Ireland chief executive Noel Cunniffe told the industry body’s offshore wind conference that a second offshore wind farm, the replacement for Arklow Bank, was due a decision by early December.
Decisions on three other developments off the Dublin and Wicklow coasts were expected in the first half of next year.
“We’re in a global context where a huge amount has changed. Energy security and energy affordability is now core to what we need to do in Ireland and growing our economy will be so dependent on offshore wind energy,” he said.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien also referred to the Middle East crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and the impact on fuel supply.
“This is an important reminder that home-grown, affordable, clean renewables are crucial for our energy strategy. They are core to Ireland’s economic development,” he said.
O’Brien said the Government was committed to getting the offshore wind farms over the line.
“This has to be the delivery period. This part of the decade has to be where we see steel in the water,” he said, referring to wind turbines being built out at sea.
“This Government is committed to having our first offshore wind project since Arklow Bank, constructed by 2030 and operational by the early 30s.”
When Ireland’s 2030 climate targets were set it was intended offshore wind would be delivering large amounts of electricity – and large emission reductions – by the end of the decade.
O’Brien acknowledged the delay, but said new onshore wind farms would also create extra sources of clean electricity.
He said targets for new renewable projects would be finalised within months – a move in response to planning objections in some areas.
“Regional targets will be set in the coming months to ensure that we don’t have parts of our country that are effectively sterilised from renewable energy. That’s not something we can stand over,” he said.
“I think to be fair, our public and our citizens, many of them, are ahead of us on this. If we look at the current crisis, not just from a price side but the risk to supply, we have to reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuel for energy generation.”
