Wind farms

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>There has been a significant policy announcements this year designed to incentivise the development of offshore wind. Onshore wind however has seen a significant downward growth trajectory recently.</p>

companies

Lisa Foley: Challenges intensify for renewable energy generation despite progress

Recent analysis by Cornwall Insight suggested that the Island of Ireland will narrowly miss this 80% target with our report forecasting 74% by 2030.

<p>Wind Energy Ireland said An Bord Pleanála rejected planning applications for a further eight wind farms in the first half of this year, with 30 projects still in the system awaiting a decision.</p>

news

Wind energy projects stalled by 'not fit for purpose' planning system

<p>The planning board said it was 'not satisfied' the project would not have an adverse effect on the whooper swan, a species of conservation interest of the Kilcolman Bog Special Protection Area.</p>

munster

Cork wind farm blocked to protect swan habitat

politics

Senator's 'climate-change agenda' comments were 'not informed', Ryan says

spotlight

Suspicion, distrust, confusion: Why wind farm developments are being delayed

outdoors

Consultation with locals is key for successful windfarm development

Coveney: Wind farms that only power data centres instead of homes 'not a bad thing'

Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney said data centres were 'very important to the Irish economy'

Thu, 07 Dec, 2023

Wind farm developer Orsted shares plunge after €2.1bn hit in US

Orsted has about 20 wind and solar farms across Ireland and had announced earlier this year a partnership with ESB to develop offshore projects

Wed, 30 Aug, 2023

Plans lodged for €105m wind farm on Waterford/Tipperary border

Company claims the farm will contribute an 'estimated' €23.8m to council rates over its lifetime and potentially create up to 16 'direct jobs'

Fri, 16 Jun, 2023

Offshore manual worker standing on helipad with wind-turbines behind him in sunset

Offshore renewable wind energy could enter market by 2026 — Eamon Ryan

Development will have a 'significant' impact on the cost of energy for households, Mr Ryan said

Fri, 12 May, 2023

Surge in offshore wind farms to generate 'windfall' in power exports — EirGrid chief

When we get a significant amount of offshore wind farms operational 'we will have way more electricity than we need', Mark Foley said

Tue, 25 Apr, 2023

FILE PHOTO Eirgrid has stated that low wind is a contributing factor for today's amber alert on the electricity market - the sec

Government to seek advice on wind farm noise levels

The €100,000 contract is for input into a 'review and redraft' of the noise elements of existing wind energy development guidelines

Wed, 22 Feb, 2023

Wind energy cut gas costs by €2bn

Wind energy provided 34% of Ireland's electricity needs last year and helped consumers avoid paying €2bn for gas according to new data from Wind Energy Ireland.

Mon, 16 Jan, 2023

Major investment needed to bolster Irish ports' capability for offshore wind farms

Several national ports require 'relatively substantial levels of investment' to bring infrastructure to the required levels to support wind farm construction, study found

Wed, 26 Oct, 2022

Irish Examiner view: Not too late for an energy revolution

We must now harness the power of offshore wind farms if we are to wean ourselves off our reliance on at-risk supplies of foreign energy sources.

Fri, 11 Mar, 2022

Wind farm operator Greencoat Renewables boosts cash generation

Greencoat closed the year with just over €630m in net debt

Mon, 28 Feb, 2022

West Cork community braced for legal challenge to windfarm

A High Court challenge is being considered by locals concerned at An Bord Pleanála's decision to greenlight a seven-turbine windfarm close to St Finbarr’s Oratory at Gougane Barra

Mon, 07 Feb, 2022

Global investment giant takes control of leading Irish wind farm backer

Schroders will not have a direct shareholding in Greencoat Renewables as part of the deal to buy a 75% stake in Greencoat Capital

Tue, 21 Dec, 2021

Coillte-ESB launch renewable energy joint venture with ambitious 2030 targets

FuturEnergy Ireland will build wind farm developments on Coillte-owned land

Tue, 30 Nov, 2021

Shell acquires 51% stake in Irish offshore floating wind project

Western Star venture aims to develop up to 1.35GW of wind energy off the Co Clare coast

Thu, 18 Nov, 2021

Minister: 'Many companies' eager to enter Irish offshore wind market, as Norway's Equinor axes €2bn plans

The ESB had been in a partnership to develop a €2bn wind farm off the coast of Clare — but Norway's Equinor has pulled out of the deal due to dissatisfaction with Ireland's regulatory and planning regime

Thu, 04 Nov, 2021

Shannon-based engineering services firm Mincon sees 6% revenue increase

The company makes drilling equipment, traditionally for companies in the exploration, mining and construction sectors

Mon, 01 Nov, 2021

Wind farm operator Greencoat Renewables raises €165m to fund expansion

Company said it currently had 'multiple attractive near-term investment opportunities under consideration'

Tue, 19 Oct, 2021

Owner of Kinsale gas field applies to leave pipelines on seabed

Meanwhile, the ESB is examining whether the decommissioned gas field could be used to store green hydrogen

Sun, 17 Oct, 2021

Government inches closer to facilitating offshore wind boom

First offshore wind farm auction will be a major step towards Ireland meeting its targets of having 80% of its electricity coming from renewable energy sources by 2030, Government says

Mon, 11 Oct, 2021

International investment bank Macquarie buys Irish offshore wind farm development

The bank has acquired Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta, the developer of the proposed Sceirde Rocks offshore wind farm off the Galway coast

Thu, 09 Sep, 2021

Cork-based Mainline secures second wind farm project in Sweden worth €10m

The company came out of the Telecom Eireann Services Limited, or TESL, over 20 years ago and has gone through a number of owners since then

Tue, 04 May, 2021

Irish Examiner View: Effective offshore wind farm legislation would help people accept roll-out

Legislation for sea wind farms would help the public buy-in their development.

Wed, 31 Mar, 2021

Wind energy could lead to creation of 50,000 jobs in Ireland, new report claims

Currently, energy emissions account for about 62% of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland and the system is dominated by fossil fuels, particularly oil, with an estimated annual import bill of €5bn

Wed, 31 Mar, 2021

Plans for major wind farm in North Cork meet strong opposition

Council officials have prepared a submission for An Bord Pleanála on proposals to build 22 wind turbines in the Nagle mountains, bordering on communities in Ballyhooly, Glenville and Killavullen

Mon, 22 Feb, 2021

Wind farm regulation cannot just be hot air

Enforcement proceedings against Barnafaddock Wind Farm raise serious questions around planning, the law and national policy on wind energy, writes Michael Clifford

Fri, 05 Apr, 2019

Something doesn’t quite measure up about Waterford wind farm’s turbines

It was residents who first suspected the noise of a wind farm was louder than expected, says Michael Clifford.

Mon, 24 Sep, 2018

Greencoat Renewables generates profits of €13.4m in H1

Greencoat Renewables has reported that it generated net cash of €13.4 million in the first six months of 2018.

Wed, 19 Sep, 2018

Wind farm exceeded blade size, say Waterford residents

Planning regulation and inspection around wind- farms is expected to come under further scrutiny following claims that a wind- farm in Co Waterford was built with larger blades than allowed for.

Mon, 18 Sep, 2017

‘Rights of people are being squashed. It is impossible to take on wind farm firms’

The story of the Harris family highlights the fact that the development of wind farms is subject to few planning checks, writes Michael Clifford

Mon, 18 Sep, 2017

Local residents secure High Court orders overturning Wexford wind farm planning permission

A number of local residents have secured High Court orders on consent quashing An Bord Pleanála’s approval of permission for a windfarm in Co Wexford, writes Ann O’Loughlin.

Wed, 19 Jul, 2017

Divisive wind farm proposals - Put people first, build all units at sea

NOT every community is lucky enough to have an Erin Brockovich, the fearless American legal clerk who successfully challenged the powerful Pacific Gas and Electric Company of California in 1993 over water supplies degraded by mining. 

Mon, 10 Jul, 2017

Opinions divided on impact of wind farms

More than 40% of people rank personal, physical and mental health as the main reason for their opposition to wind farms, although a similar percentage of people believe Ireland does not have enough wind power developments.

Mon, 12 Jun, 2017

Sea wind farms the best option

ONE of the few certainties in our topsy-turvy world is that we must cut our dependence on energy generated by fossil fuels. 

Mon, 06 Feb, 2017

Limerick family wins Energia Ireland’s Most Christmassy Home Competition

A family from Templeglantine, West Limerick has won a national competition by leading energy provider Energia to find Ireland’s Most Christmassy Home.

Thu, 15 Dec, 2016

British Supreme Court rejects Trump challenge over Scottish wind turbines

US presidential candidate Donald Trump has lost a Supreme Court fight against an offshore wind farm project near his Scottish golf resort.

Wed, 16 Dec, 2015

New lobby group aims to unseat politicians 'toxic to rural Ireland'

A new alliance of community groups is to mount a pre-election campaign to unseat what it calls "toxic" politicians.

Tue, 27 Oct, 2015

Enercon industrial action deferred

Industrial action due to tke place tomorrow at Enercon Wind Farm Service has been postponed.

Thu, 19 Mar, 2015

Pursuit of power put above long-term needs

Government mistakes and posturing have excluded Ireland from a new regional electricity

Tue, 03 Mar, 2015

Ireland fails to meet renewable energy export deal deadline with UK

The Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte has said the Government has failed to reach an agreement with the UK on the exports of renewable energy within the EU's 2020 timeframe.

Sun, 13 Apr, 2014

SPECIAL REPORT: A look at the wind energy debate

A United Nations (UN) report on climate change warned last week that storm surges, flooding and rising sea levels will wreak increasing havoc on our lives unless Governments take urgent action to reduce carbon emissions.

Mon, 07 Apr, 2014

It is not too late to change our misguided policy on wind energy

We need wind energy — just not so much hot air, writes Labour senator John Whelan.