The timeline to begin construction at the Tonn Nua offshore wind site in Waterford is “disappointing” a top Energia executive has said ahead of a state auction in June to run the development, and called on the Government to fast track the development timeline.
There will be a delay of “up to five years” before construction can begin at Tonn Nua following the auction process, Peter Baillie, managing director of Energia Renewables, told The Irish Times. “There were opportunities to fast-track that, so it is disappointing that we could be five years waiting,” he added.
The Tonn Nua site, 12 kilometres off the Waterford coast, will be the State’s second auction under its offshore renewable electricity support scheme (ORESS), and is set to deliver 900 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. The auction is set to begin in June with a decision expected by prospective bidders to be announced in July.
Mr Baillie said the delay before construction, which is subject to determination from EirGrid, is “a product of the policy and move to a plan-lead approach, and we would welcome engagement with the new Government on opportunities to accelerate this timeline.”
He called on the Government to address the “urgent need” to develop a “credible pipeline of projects for developers and the supply chain to see a real opportunity” in order to attract and give confidence to potential investors including a “substantial investment” into the country’s ports.
He said that a lack of confidence for investors through a lack of “realistic plans for energy grid capacity” is causing “a risk that the momentum in Ireland for the Tonn Nua auction will quickly fall away.”
In light of Storm Éowyn and other weather events, Baillie said it is an “increasingly challenging environment” to operate in, noting that the recent storm had seen consistent wind speeds above 150km/h.
“We have done our homework,” Baillie said, noting Energia has installed numerous sensors in the designated area to inform their bid through the collection of “amazing data on the site conditions.”
Speaking to regional stakeholders at an Offshore Wind conference at Waterford Port, Energia Renewables outlined their intention to bid in the auction to deliver the Tonn Nua wind farm site alongside Vårgrønn – a Norwegian-Italian renewable energy join venture between Plenitude and HiTech Vision – which is involved in the delivery of a series of offshore wind farms in Northern Europe.
“Energia and Vårgrønn have done the most work, we are the most informed bidders in this auction,” Baillie said. “We have a uniquely comprehensive understanding of the offshore environment off the southeast coast, and we can deliver the Tonn Nua wind farm faster than our competitors if successful in our bid.”
The Chief Executive of Waterford City and County Council, Sean McKeown told the conference that he is aware of “at least two consortiums” preparing bids for the Tonn Nua action later this year.
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