For many, it beggars belief that Ireland, with one of the best wind resources in Europe, has not yet managed to harness that power via large-scale offshore wind farms. Despite a Government target of 5 gigawatts (GW) of grid-connected offshore wind and a further 2GW of capacity for green hydrogen generation by 2030, experts say this is unlikely to be met given the glacial pace of development thus far.
Achieving these ambitious targets is easier said than done when it comes to projects of this scale and complexity. Among the barriers preventing Ireland from fully realising its offshore wind potential are planning, investment, and grid infrastructure.
The ESB has been working on offshore wind developments since 2017. Recently it has built a successful partnership with Danish energy company Ørsted to jointly develop a portfolio of offshore wind projects off the Irish coast. This has progressed well and has the potential to deliver up to 5GW of capacity, says a spokeswoman for the ESB. “The first of these projects will compete in the second Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction in 2025,” she says.
“Ireland’s wind resource is among the best in Europe, characterised by high average wind speeds and consistent wind patterns, particularly along the western coast,” says Robert Costello, partner at PwC Ireland. “If we can develop the renewables and grid infrastructure to harness this resource, we have the potential to generate energy that can be utilised in Ireland and exported to neighbouring countries, generating economic benefits from job creation and increased investment as well as enhanced energy security.”
Costello says the investment required is into the billions, and he praises the Government for putting in a “huge effort” to deliver the energy transition given the scale of the investment and the complexities involved. “There are areas where more can be done and at times more joined-up thinking is needed, particularly when it comes to reducing uncertainty but there is a willingness and a drive to progress to our targets,” he says.
“We need to look at the upcoming projects on the east and southeast coasts of Ireland and ensure that they go through planning in a fair and efficient way, with clear timelines,” he asserts. “We also need to give projects and project owners clear timelines for things like grid availability and grid connection and help facilitate their supply chain needs, access to materials and infrastructure needed to be in a position to construct these projects.”
In the even longer term, a route to market for the energy produced must be found, he adds. “Essentially, we need the customers to buy this renewable energy. These projects are longer term in nature but if we get it right now, we can attract new industry to the country to utilise the energy as well as building further interconnection into Europe. This is where the economic growth will really kick in.”
Yet the practical aspects of building these behemoth structures may be what ultimately stymies their progress. Dr James Carton, assistant professor in sustainable energy, Dublin City University, has been exploring the barriers behind offshore wind development with his team at MaREI, the Research Ireland Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine.
The general perception is that the planning system is what is delaying the development of our offshore wind farms. Planning is “long and tortuous”, Carton agrees, but he says that Ireland’s port infrastructure simply does not meet the requirements for building these gigantic structures out at sea.
“The largest turbine on land, it’s 6MW at the moment. But the smallest wind turbine offshore will be 15MW,” he explains. “We assessed every port in the country, and effectively realised that even still today, there is no port in the country that can unload any of these pieces of equipment.”
Both Cork and Rosslare ports have expansion plans, but Carton says even if they come through the planning process unscathed and on time, they still may not be able to facilitate the building of offshore wind turbines.
“If you think of these giant turbines, those big pieces of metal, they have to sit on the dock. And they’re very long. So, therefore, they need turning space, which the ports may not have.”
Even if Rosslare Port is expanded, Carton estimates that it will only be able to facilitate half a GW per year, meaning the Government’s targets will only be met in 2038, not 2030. “This is a hugely important part of the puzzle to get all this working,” he says.
Carton and his team have also estimated the cost of this development versus the potential income, determining that a €3 billion investment in Irish ports would ultimately lead to a return on investment of around €60 billion according to their calculations. “It’s money well spent in my opinion.”
