New timelines for delivery of offshore wind have to be met by Government, says Cork Chamber

The Government announcement of the acceleration of Phase 2 Offshore wind projects and the introduction of a new Phase 3 for 2GW of floating offshore wind provides some certainty but the timelines for delivery need to be met this time.

“The Phase 1 auctions need to deliver the volume of projects needed to meet the majority of our 5GW target and the timelines for both Phase 2 DMAPS and for opening a specific route to market for floating offshore wind projects by Q1 2024 has to be delivered upon. In the past deadlines have been regularly missed and meeting these deadlines are essential to provide certainty to industry, international investors and the offshore wind supply chain and manufacturers. Otherwise Ireland risks being left behind - these deadlines cannot be missed,” said Rory Kelleher, Director of Sustainability at Cork Chamber.

“Offshore wind is a once-in-generation opportunity for Ireland that has to be grasped and floating and fixed offshore wind farms are both central delivering our targets to 2030 and beyond. We need to see all phases accelerated, with proper industry representation on the offshore wind delivery taskforce and an implementation group including industry for Phase 3 that will accelerate delivery in tandem with Phase 2

“Ports like Cork will be key to delivering on this offshore wind and hydrogen ambition and the new national ports strategy that is promised in this announcement needs be accelerated so investment flows to the Port of Cork to facilitate the acceleration of the offshore wind and hydrogen industry.

“We have the best wind resource in the world and it can deliver energy independence, turning us from a huge importer of fossil fuel energy to an exporter of clean green renewable energy. It will transform our industry, society and economy but government have to deliver on the targets and timelines committed to today.

“The grid needs to develop support those ambitions rather than being a constraint on them and offshore wind and green hydrogen will be critical to meeting our medium and long-term climate and renewables targets. With it taking of up to 10 years for projects to be delivered because of the planning system, we need to get going now on permitting and starting delivery of these and reform the planning system to accelerate the process.

“It has to be pointed out that this new policy on offshore wind does not reflect the consultation carried out last year by government with industry on how to move forward, which undermines the certainty and confidence that the industry and developers need to deliver, and international investors expect. Government has to ensure certainty for developers for real progress to be made.

“The development of regional meshed offshore grids is also welcome to facilitate green hydrogen production which will provide us with back up when the wind isn’t blowing and enable us to export and sell electricity and hydrogen to other countries. But again we need to see a clear timeline for delivery of these meshed regional offshore grids, and that timeline needs to be delivered upon.”
 

ENDS