Sir, – Investment in clean energy is intensifying across the world in efforts to combat climate change. With our country sitting next to the Atlantic Ocean, now is the time to fully embrace wind technology, an inexhaustible, non-polluting energy source. Our Government may look back in time with regret at being overly cautious in delaying the option to auction off parts of our territorial waters for developing floating offshore wind (“Offshore wind is a ‘once in a century’ development opportunity”, Business This Week, February 2nd).
By 2027, our nearest neighbour will have the world’s largest offshore wind farm comprising 230 turbines, 160km off the Yorkshire coast and capable of supplying 5GW electricity, the ambitious target for this country from fixed platforms in shallow waters off the east coast by 2030. With billions of euro sitting in our “rainy day fund”, now is the time to develop the necessary port infrastructure on the west coast and have the confidence to accelerate our transition to renewables. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN McLOUGHLIN,
Ballina,
Co Mayo.