Former navy captain joins offshore Munster wind development project

Floating wind farms are planned for the Cork and West Clare coasts

Captain Brian Fitzgerald joins the Simply Blue Group. Picture: Darragh Kane

Floating offshore wind company the Simply Blue Group, which is developing a major wind farm near the Kinsale gas field has appointed a senior former naval officer to as liaison with stakeholders and the public.

The Simply Blue Group announced a joint venture partnership with Shell earlier this year and this will see the development of the Emerald Floating wind farm off the Cork coast. The Simply Blue Group is also developing the Western Star floating wind project off the coast of Clare.

The company has announced that Captain Brian FitzGerald has joined as Director of External Affairs and Stakeholder Liaison, Ireland. Captain Fitzgerald had a successful career with Ireland’s Naval Service including two periods as a ship’s Captain before ultimately serving as the Navy’s Operational Commander. In 2017 he completed a successful deployment to the Mediterranean Sea as part of Europe’s response to the humanitarian crisis to rescue migrants. He has participated in some of the biggest drug interdiction and coordinated the at-sea search operation following the loss of the IRCG helicopter ‘Rescue 116’ in 2017.

“Simply Blue offers the opportunity to address the challenge of climate change and energy security, by harnessing the abundance of offshore wind and wave resource that Ireland possesses," Captain Fitzgerald said. "I am delighted to be able to work with south and west coast communities and stakeholders as part of a collective effort to protect our future."