Irish energy firms linked to €111bn wind farm development in Britain

TWO Irish alternative energy companies are to be involved in developing half of the energy capacity in the latest round of a £100 billion (€111bn) wind farm project in Britain, tipped to be the world’s largest energy infrastructure programme.

Sixteen companies are involved in nine licences in the third round of contracts for an offshore wind farm project being operated by the Crown Estate – Britain’s property portfolio manager.

Mainstream Renewable Power– which was established by former Airtricity head, Eddie O’Connor in 2008 – is part of the Smart Wind Consortium, which also includes Siemens Project Ventures (SPV), a subsidiary of Siemens Financial Services.

The latest round of the Crown Estate wind farm project will feature nine zones around the British coast, with a target of generating 32 gigawatts (GW) – roughly enough to power to meet a quarter of Britain’s electricity needs. The Smart Wind Consortium will develop projects in the Hornsea area, off the Yorkshire coast. The area – roughly the same size as the width of Britain – will provide enough electricity to meet 4% of the country’s annual demand.

Mr O’Connor said that this marks a significant step not just for Mainstream, but also for the renewable energy industry in Britain.

Dublin-based Airtricity/SSE Renewables has also been granted licences, meaning that Irish companies will be developing half of the power generation; something which has been welcomed by the National Offshore Wind Association of Ireland (NOW Ireland).

According to its secretary, Brian Britton: “Ireland’s wind resources are similar, if not better, than those in the UK.

“The development of 4,000 megawatts in close proximity to Irish waters gives Ireland a major opportunity to develop businesses which can support this deployment,” he said.