Cork Harbour 'essential' to future of wind energy in Ireland

Cork South Central TD, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, said: "The potential for offshore wind in Cork is enormous in terms of reducing emissions but also in terms of creating jobs."

Eamon Ryan said: "More than anything else, we have a world-class deep-sea water port of 11 or 12 metres at the quayside." File photo

The scale of offshore wind is "beyond compare" with Cork Harbour "essential to this economic opportunity" because of existing and future infrastructure, Environment Minister Eamon Ryan has said.

Environmental campaigners, as well as industry figures, have repeatedly hit out at what they perceive as the snail's pace development of offshore wind in Ireland in recent decades, despite having the geographical profile to be a world leader.

Only this week, Dublin City University (DCU) assistant professor of sustainable energy, Dr James Carton, said Ireland has been "politically lazy" when it comes to the likes of offshore wind, with policy around it “in a vacuum since 2003”.

"There’s just been nothing happening. That’s changed only in 2021 effectively with the set up of the Mara, which is basically going to organise for the east coast offshore. Yet offshore floating, which is really Ireland’s opportunity in this and the next decade, is only beginning to start," Dr Carton said.

Mara is the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, which will oversee licensing and regulation for offshore renewable energy.

In the Dáil, Cork South Central TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked Mr Ryan if he has engaged with organisations in County Cork on the potential for floating offshore wind in the region.

"The potential for offshore wind in Cork is enormous in terms of reducing emissions but also in terms of creating jobs. However, we have to ensure that the skills are there on the ground in order that Cork can become a world leader in offshore wind and especially floating offshore wind. To do that, we need to do the work now to ensure the skills are in place and we are not bringing them in from elsewhere," Mr Ó Laoghaire said.

Mr Ryan said that Cork Harbour will be essential.

"First, many of our energy assets are there. We have the Whitegate refinery and the power stations in Aghada and Whitegate. Most of our big pharmaceutical industries are there, which are large energy users. We have very strong grid connections. 

However, more than anything else, we have a world-class deep-sea water port of 11 or 12 metres at the quayside.

"One needs quaysides which can take up to 1,500-tonne pieces of metal to be brought out to sea, these are very large machines, such as the old Verolme dockyard, the marine nitrate site and Ringaskiddy, where investment is being made in the port facilities and investment is being made further inland," he said. 

"The new chair of the Port of Cork is someone with a real energy expertise background, which will help place the port at the centre of this."