Irish Offshore Wind Energy

Irish Offshore Wind Energy Developers Say Offshore can Provide 40% of Ireland's Power Within 5 years

Irish-based Offshore wind energy developers today confirmed that they have projects at an advanced stage of preparation for the development of over 2,000 MW of renewable energy in Irish waters at a capital cost of over ?4 billion. The announcement was made by the five largest offshore wind companies in Ireland at the launch of NOW Ireland, a new organisation to promote the development of the offshore wind industry in Ireland.

?Offshore wind has the capability to generate large volumes of electrical power from green, renewable and indigenous resources.  Offshore wind is unique in offering the capacity to deliver substantial volumes of power on a scale that no other renewable can match and to do so in a short time scale,? Brian Britton, Secretary of NOW Ireland stated at the launch in Dublin today.

Offshore wind farms are considerably larger in size than onshore wind farms.  If the offshore projects currently under way were fully developed each would rank in the top twelve power stations in Ireland.  The funding required is also substantial as they are far bigger than onshore farms and require a higher level of investment.  However these power stations are also more efficient and operate with significantly higher load factors than onshore.  Their scale and efficiency justifies the investment of the large amounts of capital required to develop them.

NOW Ireland is the acrynom for the National Offshore Wind Association of Ireland which has as its slogan ?Making renewables Ireland?s primary power source?. The founding members of NOW Ireland are  Airtricity, Oriel Windfarm Limited, Eco Wind Power Limited, Fuinneamh Sceirde Teo and Saorgas Energy Limited.  Each of these companies has developed plans for offshore fields in Irish waters and made substantial investment in bringing those plans forward.

By: Finfacts Ireland

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