{"id":193759,"date":"2025-11-22T04:11:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T04:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/193759\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T04:11:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T04:11:15","slug":"can-the-fog-clear-to-deliver-clean-irish-offshore-wind-energy-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/193759\/","title":{"rendered":"Can the \u2018fog clear\u2019 to deliver clean Irish offshore wind energy? \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The global offshore wind energy sector is in the doldrums due to hostility from Donald Trump<\/a>; supply chain bottlenecks, planning uncertainties, and high costs. <\/p>\n

The North Sea boasts of having the best wind speeds in the world \u2013 averaging 9 metres per second \u2013 and yet following the German government offer of two prime sites off its coastline recently, not one developer bid for a contract. Ireland<\/a> has even better wind speeds from the Atlantic but it has not built an offshore wind farm in 20 years. <\/p>\n

The world market for offshore renewable energy (ORE) has soured in less than 18 months. Trump\u2019s scuppering of fully financed and permitted offshore wind farms has undermined mood music but higher interest rates, a row-back on net-zero ambitions, and energy companies weakening or abandoning decarbonisation commitments and doubling down on fossil fuels have all played a part. <\/p>\n

Some 24 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity and offtake agreements were cancelled since 2023, according to energy analysts Wood Mackenzie. Just 1GW powers the equivalent of 1 million homes. <\/p>\n

Last June, the Norwegian company Statkraft announced it is to stop further activities in new offshore wind projects, including floating wind, but will continue developing the 500MW North Irish Sea Array (NISA) in the Irish Sea. <\/p>\n

Statkraft\u2019s senior vice-president and managing director for Ireland and UK, Kevin O\u2019Donovan, is well placed to outline why, despite the dismal global picture, Ireland is well placed to scale up its ORE. He provided that perspective at a recent National Economic and Social Council (Nesc) conference. It was a frank assessment layered with realistic optimism by prioritising ways forward. <\/p>\n

\"WindWind turbines in the Irish sea <\/p>\n

Firstly, O\u2019Donovan wants to underline progress made in Ireland over the past 25 years, with wind technology efficiency increasing by a factor of 20. <\/p>\n

He recalls how, two decades ago, ESB National Grid (a forerunner to EirGrid) said <\/b>that Ireland would never have more than 300-500MW of wind energy on our grid system. Any more and the system would break down. <\/p>\n

\u201c[Today] we have over 5,000 megawatts of wind on our system, and heading for two gigawatts of solar,\u201d O\u2019Donovan adds. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0Fossil fuel dependence \u2018is Ireland\u2019s biggest block\u2019 to achieving carbon emissions cutsOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

He was impressed by Minister for Energy Darragh O\u2019Brien<\/a>\u2019s \u201cpositive vision for where we need to go\u201d, with emphasis on delivery. The industry needs to \u201cshow people we can deliver on what needs to be achieved over the next decade and the technology is, for me, the way we will achieve that\u201d. <\/p>\n

Ireland stands out in Europe as a good market for renewables, with clear policy and plans backed by strong political consensus. We have had significant success but sometimes \u201cget a little bit too focused on targets and the timing of those targets and on the net zero discussion\u201d. <\/p>\n

Statkraft is Europe\u2019s largest producer and trader of renewables, yet even it would say \u201cwe can\u2019t fully tell you right now how we\u2019re going to get to net zero … it would be far better focusing on we actually have the technologies right now to deliver 80 per cent of all our electricity [from renewables] by 2030 to 2031 or 2032, maybe\u201d. <\/p>\n

That amounts to huge electrification of Irish transport and heating sectors using wind and solar, the cheapest renewables \u2013 \u201cand basically electrifying our economy\u201d. This requires focus on delivery, recognising \u201cevery megawatt hour we get on the system, year-on-year for this next decade, is going to put us in a better position\u201d. <\/p>\n

\"IrelandIreland stands out in Europe as a good market for renewables. <\/p>\n

O\u2019Donovan does not want to moan given significant progress but challenges needed to be overcome. Reforms to the Planning Act took too long and implementation could be another year. \u201cWe have very good aspirations and very good plans. It\u2019s the implementation and the fast implementations where we fall down.\u201d <\/p>\n

Statkraft is one of the four projects with Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) contracts. It was in a position to easily complete it by 2030. It submitted its bid two years ago, assuming planning would be secured within 12 months. \u201cToday, we are 16 months and counting since we submitted our planning application,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

Statkraft had to print out 10,000 pages per application and submit up to 20 copies, which required hiring a van. \u201cThat alone shows where we need to start getting more efficient. For goodness sake, just digitise the thing. Every other country is doing that.\u201d <\/p>\n

More frustration followed, waiting nine months for An Bord Plean\u00e1la (now An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la) to issue a \u201cfurther information request\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was issued is something that requires years of further surveys, millions of euros of further investment before we could even respond to all of the requests,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

Statkraft then spent seven months waiting for the commission to have a meeting with it, to explain that it had provided much of the required information. <\/p>\n

It will probably be mid-2027 before planning is granted. The Minister hoped turbines would be in the water by 2030 but \u201cif we can\u2019t have faster decision-making time, then that won\u2019t happen\u201d, O\u2019Donovan says. <\/p>\n

[\u00a0Moral duty \u2018to act now\u2019 on climate change for future generations, says Catherine ConnollyOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Government Ministers had spoken about the importance of private wires bypassing the grid but a 200-page-plus consultation document since might mean it is years away. <\/p>\n

Likewise, O\u2019Donovan fears hybridisation of projects, which <\/b>maximise energy output from a single site and allow for more strategic grid usage and energy trading, face a similar timeframe, and the North-South Interconnector will not get done anytime soon. <\/p>\n

He was impressed by the British government setting up what it calls \u201cmission control\u201d to deliver projects. It was similar to the clearing house announced by the Taoiseach, though O\u2019Donovan favours a broader remit where senior politicians and the Government bring all departments and stakeholders together to get things get done. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a collective responsibility on all of us … to realise we\u2019re going to need infrastructure that we may not particularly like and collective good is something that\u2019s going to have to really drive our decisions going forward on how we deliver that infrastructure.\u201d <\/p>\n

The transition \u201cwill give us energy security. It will eventually reduce our electricity bills, and it will give us a stable, resilient power system that in time we can export.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most damning finding in recent Nesc reports on the energy transition is its warning we are heading into strategic fog, where visibility and certainty are low. <\/p>\n

For Val Cummins, chief impact officer of Simply Blue Energy in Cork, this is \u201ca bold but fair statement\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cDespite global headwinds, you could argue the fog is beginning to lift \u2013 thanks to the Taoiseach\u2019s clearing house on offshore wind and the upcoming 900MW Tonn Nua [a site off the south coast] auction,\u201c she says. <\/p>\n

Policy choices made in the term of this Government will shape our economic future for decades to come, Cummins adds. \u201cWe need bold, joined-up action across energy planning and industrial policy \u2013 to deliver an integrated offshore wind action plan.\u201d <\/p>\n

Focus should shift away from unachievable targets, she says. \u201cSet out the level of renewable power we should aim to generate by 2040 and 2050, taking environmental, social and economic objectives on board.\u201d <\/p>\n

This means, Cummins says, taking a systems approach to determine the optimal national energy trajectory, comparing business-as-usual with renewable transition pathways, and integrating ecological economics to reflect the true environmental and social costs of energy choices. <\/p>\n

\u201cDetermine who pays for electricity from offshore wind and how, with a fundamental objective around achieving more affordable electricity for all,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

\u201cCo-ownership can ensure a return on investment for the State, but importantly, it can also help to facilitate citizen buy-in.\u201d <\/p>\n

On supply, delivering the national DMAP (the Designated Maritime Area Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy) by 2027 is essential, to identify priority sites for development. The next iteration of marine spatial plans for offshore wind development zones must be integrated with demand (grid and private wires) and port capacity. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn parallel with spatial planning, put a focus on cost reduction pathways to ensure we optimise the conversion of our abundant supply of offshore wind,\u201d Cummins says. <\/p>\n

When it comes to demand, Cummins adds: \u201cTo misquote Bill Clinton, \u2018it\u2019s the market, stupid.\u2019 Address the elephant in the room by making sure the next phase of Powering Prosperity, Ireland\u2019s industrial plan for offshore wind, outlines a clear route to market to meet domestic demand for decarbonisation, to generate demand\/attract large energy users for our industrial growth, and ultimately to produce competitively priced energy for export.\u201d <\/p>\n

Upfront exchequer funding is required to support infrastructure development and the forthcoming national ports policy needs \u201ca 21st century model for financing them\u201d. <\/p>\n

Critically, innovation will be needed to develop offshore sites that yield the cheapest electricity first. <\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, ignore the need to invest in floating offshore wind at our peril. There simply won\u2019t be enough space for fixed-bottom projects … super saturation of the Irish Sea will wear thin with some stakeholders, especially environmentalists.\u201d <\/p>\n

Floating technology provides access to deeper waters, while also providing upsides such as greater supply chain benefits and regional development. The Government should commit to kick-starting two scalable 400MW floating demonstration projects via competitive marine area consents in 2028. <\/p>\n

Having the right expertise on board is paramount, she says. <\/p>\n

To optimise expertise and resources, a single agency should deliver an integrated plan, Cummins says. \u201cPlanning for \u2018what next\u2019 will be most effective if we move away from the silos and confusion of governance around the energy transition, especially deployment of offshore wind.\u201d <\/p>\n

The Trump administration has caused huge damage to the sector, says Noel Cunniffe, chief executive of Wind Energy Ireland. <\/p>\n

ORE is a global business with developers active across the US, EU and Irish markets while a lot of capital has been eroded in America. While supply chain pressure may ease, international sentiment has become risk averse, leading to less money being available in Europe. <\/p>\n

\u201cIreland needs to be better than every other country in Europe in attracting that money,\u201d Cunniffe says. <\/p>\n

There is a sense that a strong market exists in Ireland with good auctions and robust rules compared to elsewhere. Auctions in Denmark, France and the Netherlands recently failed to attract bids. <\/p>\n

Political stability is a big positive, with all major parties supporting ORE. \u201cYou can\u2019t say that about other countries,\u201d Cunniffe says, pointing to Reform in the UK and far-right factions in France, Germany and eastern Europe closely aligned with anti-renewables campaigns. <\/p>\n

He expects that positive sentiment will be reflected in support for the Tonn Nua auction outcome in the coming weeks. <\/p>\n

A common view emerges among stakeholders: The future of the offshore wind industry hinges on the extent to which governments, utilities and corporate customers support the higher costs before the bounty of clean, affordable electricity emerges. That commitment would provide the industry [and supply chains] with certainty needed to invest \u2013 and reset the course to match ambitious renewable targets that were up in lights less than two years ago. <\/p>\n

As Nesc has laid out, Cummins says, \u201cwe must deliver now, and plan for \u2018next\u2019 and \u2018later\u2019, moving to potential surplus and export of clean energy. The fog can clear \u2013 but only with co-ordinated, confident action.\u201d <\/p>\n

[\u00a0Mary Robinson says Cop30 summit must signpost stronger action on fossil fuelsOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The global offshore wind energy sector is in the doldrums due to hostility from Donald Trump; supply chain…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":193760,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[73],"tags":[79,2914,356,18,52737,3428,19,17,8457,9951,961],"class_list":{"0":"post-193759","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-darragh-o-brien","10":"tag-donald-trump","11":"tag-eire","12":"tag-esb","13":"tag-government","14":"tag-ie","15":"tag-ireland","16":"tag-national-economic-and-social-council","17":"tag-oil","18":"tag-renewable-energy"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115591399793229209","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193759","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193759"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193759\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/193760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}