Cork Harbour 'green energy park' will facilitate offshore windfarms

Council CEO Valerie O'Sullivan says the plan is to facilitate the renewable energy sector, 'the next industrial revolution'

Cork County Council has earmarked lands at Aghada as a base for green energy firms and for the marshalling and servicing of offshore windfarm operations. Picture: iStock

Cork County Council is planning to establish a ‘green energy park’ in Cork Harbour to capitalise on government plans to create major offshore windfarms.

Council chief executive Valerie O’Sullivan said the council wants to provide the renewable energy sector with every aid it can and, in the process, enable the creation of many more jobs in the region as part of what she described as being “the next industrial revolution”.

The council has earmarked land in Aghada for the project.

Cork County Council chief executive Valerie O'Sullivan wants to provide the renewable energy sector with every aid it can, enabling the creation of many more jobs in the region. Picture: Brian Lougheed

It will serve as a base for green energy companies and for the marshalling and servicing of offshore windfarm operations.

Ms O’Sullivan said forward planning is needed to facilitate the development of offshore windfarms that are fixed to the seabed in the short term, as the technology to create floating versions will take longer to establish.

She said the ESB, Eirgrid, and the Port of Cork will also have a big part to play in the establishment of the industry off the south coast.

Independent councillor Marcia D’Alton, an environmental engineer, said Cork Harbour is important for a whole range of reasons and has called on the council to carry out a special area plan to ensure its delicate balance is protected.

“It is home to thousands of humans, birds, and both marine and land animals. It’s home to fishing, to boating, and tourism.

“It has architectural heritage beyond compare, a designated, highly sensitive, nationally important landscape, and is one of Ireland’s largest industrial hubs,” she said.

“At present, all of these co-exist in a delicate balance. The council must carry out a special area plan for Cork Harbour; a kind of a plan that would involve holistic thinking and critically analyse how best to maintain that delicate balance.”