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

EirGrid is to embark on a series of public information sessions to outline its plans for infrastructure offshore developments off the south coast.

The country is set for a "windfall" in power exports because within a couple of decades we will be able to produce “six or seven times" the electricity we need through offshore wind farms.

That is the prediction from EirGrid’s chief executive Mark Foley, who said major infrastructure projects now getting under way would significantly increase the country’s renewable energy output and provide connectivity for us to sell the excess into European grids.

EirGrid has just opened a new Cork office, which will be staffed by a team of 50 who are set to drive planned developments in the energy sector.

These include the €1.6bn Celtic Interconnector which will allow Ireland to receive and transmit electricity to France and the creation of infrastructure to support offshore wind farm development along the south coast first and later on the west coast.

Work on the interconnector is set to get under way in a few days and it will become operational by 2026. In the meantime, EirGrid’s Cork-based staff will start coordinating the development of the country’s first offshore electricity substations which will connect renewable energy wind farms off the south coast to the national grid.

Mr Foley said the build-up of wind farms off the south coast was being prioritised between now and 2030, after which the attention would then move to similar development off the west coast.

Wind farms can be anchored to the sea bed in the shallower waters off East Cork. However, Mr Foley said it was likely wind farms off both the south and west coasts would be on floating platforms as the seas are far deeper there.

Currently, we produce just over 40% of our electricity from renewable sources, but the Government has a target set of 80% by 2030.

Mr Foley said when we get a significant amount of offshore wind farms operational “we will have way more electricity than we need”, even taking into account projected population and economic growth — both of which will require more power to sustain.

“It’s likely we will have six or seven times what we need,” he said.

EirGrid has two study areas identified off the south coast. One covers 120,745 hectares of seas off the Wexford/Waterford coastline and the other covers 68,461 hectares off Cork. In both cases, study areas are within the 12 nautical mile limit of our national waters.

The company is to embark on a series of public information sessions to outline its plans for infrastructure offshore developments off the south coast. Six of the meetings will take place in June where people will be able to speak to a team of EirGrid experts about what the utility is looking at.

A further two meetings, dubbed Offshore Energy Citizens' Roadshows, will be held in July which will provide more in-depth opportunities for engagement with EirGrid officials. One will be held in Co Cork and the other in Waterford.

People wishing to partake in these meetings should register online at eirgrid.ie/offshore or by email to [e-mail].

Public information meetings will be held on the following dates and locations. All run from noon to 8pm.

• June 6 Park Hotel, Dungarvan, Co Waterford;
• June 7 Garryvoe Hotel, Garryvoe, Co Cork;
• June 12 St Mary’s Community Hall, Fethard, Co Wexford;
• June 14 Walter Raleigh Hotel, Youghal, Co Cork; 
• June 15 The Majestic Hotel Tramore, Co Waterford; 
• June 20 Cobh Community Centre, Cobh, Co Cork. 

There will also be offshore energy citizens' roadshows running from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on:

• June 21 Carrigaline Court Hotel, Carrigaline Co Cork; 
• June 22 The Tower Hotel, Waterford City.