A decision on Ireland\u2019s first offshore wind farm for more than 20 years is due in four months, a gathering of wind energy industry representatives has heard. <\/p>\n
Backers of the Oriel Windfarm proposed for the sea off the Co Louth<\/a> coast are expecting news from An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la<\/a> by September 21st. <\/p>\n Oriel, jointly owned by ESB<\/a> and Parkwind, applied for planning permission two years ago, seeking to erect 25 turbines to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 300,000 homes. <\/p>\n If granted permission, it would be Ireland\u2019s second offshore wind farm and the first since the Arklow Bank Windfarm began generating in 2004. <\/p>\n Wind Energy Ireland<\/a> chief executive Noel Cunniffe told the industry body\u2019s offshore wind conference that a second offshore wind farm, the replacement for Arklow Bank, was due a decision by early December. <\/p>\n Decisions on three other developments off the Dublin<\/a> and Wicklow<\/a> coasts were expected in the first half of next year. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in a global context where a huge amount has changed. Energy security and energy affordability is now core to what we need to do in Ireland and growing our economy will be so dependent on offshore wind energy,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O\u2019Brien<\/a> also referred to the Middle East crisis in the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> and the impact on fuel supply. <\/p>\n