Michael Clifford: Offshore energy a windy way to keep the lights on

Perhaps a major expansion of offshore wind energy will take place, saving the country from blackouts, and satisfying data centres' ravenous hunger for electricity.  But it's one hell of a gamble

The offshore sector has, to the greatest extent, been ignored so far. Two projects in development off the east coast are currently the subject of planning objections. File picture

A glimpse at the mounting problems for the State’s electricity supply could be seen at the port of Foynes last June. Two large containers of coal passed through the Limerick port en route to Moneypoint. This at a time when the Shannon-based electricity generator was supposed to be winding down its fossil fuel operation in deference to a timetable to end the practice by 2025.