Ireland’s 2030 offshore wind targets “are in serious jeopardy, without decisive and immediate Government action”, according to the Irish wind industry.
“We can – and will – develop offshore wind farms, but it’s increasingly unlikely that will happen before the end of this decade,” Wind Energy Ireland says in a report on delivery of critical offshore projects to meet the State’s renewables and climate targets.
It details how offshore developers with projects in planning are subjected to requests for further information that will push back decisions, making grid connections by 2030 unlikely.
An offshore wind action plan to be released at its annual offshore wind conference in Dublin on Tuesday sets out Government priorities to “restore confidence in Ireland’s ability to build a competitive, sustainable and robust offshore wind industry”.
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Three offshore projects supported by the State contracts under “phase one” developments are in planning, while four sites have been designated for development off the south coast, with 900 megawatts (MW) in the Tonn Nua area due to feature in a phase-two auction.
WEI calls for a long-term framework that provides certainty and stability for future development through 24 targeted actions, split across four delivery areas.
These include delivering phase-one projects; maximising the south coast designated maritime area plan (DMAP), and accelerating the national DMAP announced recently by Minister for Energy Darragh O’Brien “to provide a long-term pipeline of projects for both fixed and floating wind”.
Complementing this should be building vital infrastructure and demand strategies, it says, including investment in ports, grid capacity and industrial demand to support offshore wind growth.
It calls for urgent resourcing of planning authorities and key State agencies; clarity on grid access and offshore auctions and prioritisation of port expansion to ensure projects are built on time.
While the Government fully backed phase-one projects, “unfortunately this is not always the reality experienced by the project teams”, as some developers are encountering lengthy “requests for further information”.
“While we welcome An Bord Pleanála has identified the need for ongoing engagement with relevant State agencies to support responses to the RFIs, many of the concerns set out could have been dealt with and resolved by now had they been raised at pre-planning stage by the relevant bodies or if requested engagements were forthcoming in relation to consultation submissions,” it adds.
As a consequence it was likely that determinations may not be made until at least 2026, making it extremely difficult to deliver projects by 2030.
These problems arose “primarily because of resource deficiencies in the system”, WEI adds. It calls for “a review to be conducted immediately to identify gaps across all relevant agencies” and a plan to ensure engagement is better facilitated.
WEI chief Noel Cunniffe said: “We are now in a decisive window. If we want offshore wind to play a central role in lowering consumer energy bills, securing Ireland’s energy independence and cutting carbon emissions, we need a clear pathway forward.”
That meant removing barriers, resourcing delivery and creating certainty for investors. The proposed actions would de-risk investment, accelerate planning and grid processes and ensure critical infrastructure were available in time, Mr Cunniffe said.
“What we decide to do in the next 12 months will determine whether we have boats in the water constructing wind farms in 2030 and whether 2040 targets remain within reach.”
