Irish utility company Energia secures contract with Norwegian offshore wind firm Vårgrønn

Ireland currently has 25 MW of offshore wind capacity installed and aims for at least 37 GW of capacity by 2050.

Norwegian offshore wind company Vårgrønn announced it has secured a contract with Irish green energy developer Energia Renewables.

The agreement is expected to deliver projects on Ireland’s south and east coasts that will have the potential to deliver up to 1.8 GW of new capacity by 2030.

“We look forward to working closely with Vårgrønn and to combining our experience of developing renewable energy projects in Ireland with Vårgrønn’s extensive offshore wind expertise and supply chain relationships,” said Ian Thom, Energia Group CEO.

Energia Renewables has completed development work over the last four years at a North Celtic Sea site (with capacity of up to 900 MW) and a South Irish Sea site (with capacity of up to 900 MW).

Ireland currently has 25 MW of offshore wind capacity installed and aims for at least 37 GW of capacity by 2050.

The joint venture between Vårgrønn and Energia Renewables follows Ireland’s first offshore wind auction in June under its new Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS).

An auction under Phase Two – ORESS 2 – will launch by the end of 2023.

In the Baltics, Vårgrønn is leading a cooperation with European Energy to prepare for the upcoming auction rounds in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.