Offshore wind & hydrogen Ireland
With a sea area seven times its landmass, and with one of the best offshore renewable energy resources globally, Ireland has very significant potential in utilising these resources to generate carbon-free renewable electricity.
The Government commits to at least 5 GW of offshore wind energy generation by 2030, ramping up to 35 GW by 2050. However, the potential is much higher; estimates range from 70 – 100 GW of (mainly floating) offshore renewable energy post 2030. This provides Ireland with the opportunity to become a major exporter of green energy, powering much of Europe by 2050 via wind generated electricity and hydrogen.
Minister Ryan has invited applications from the first batch of offshore wind projects for Maritime Area Consents (MACs) and the rules for the first Offshore Renewable Energy Support Scheme (ORESS-1) have been consulted upon. The auction will open in Q4 2022. The invited projects include seven developments that were designated as “relevant projects” in 2020: Oriel Wind Park, RWE’s Bray and Kish Banks, Codling Wind Park I and II, Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta (Skerd Rocks), and North Irish Sea Array (NISA).
A second batch of projects will be required to enable Ireland to meet its 2030 target of 5 GW of offshore wind energy. It is expected that these projects will begin to progress through the new consenting system in early 2023, with ORESS-2 taken place in 2024/25. From next year a new agency, the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, will oversee projects, which increasingly will deploy floating turbines and be located in the deeper waters off the south and west coasts.
The new offshore wind energy will support the direct electrification of the Irish economy. Some of its wind power will be exported, inter alia, via a Celtic Interconnector to France. The Celtic Interconnector is a subsea (undersea) link between Ireland and France to facilitate electricity exchange by creating an electrical interconnection between the two countries. At the moment, the project is entering the construction phase, due to be completed by 2026. However, offshore wind gives Ireland another opportunity: producing renewable hydrogen and ammonia. Ireland has the potential to produce significant amounts of green hydrogen and to become a major exporter of hydrogen.
