Ireland publishes offshore renewables roadmap

Ireland’s Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan on Thursday unveiled the Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy, setting out the pathway to delivering 20 GW of offshore wind by 2040 and at least 37 GW by 2050.

The framework includes 29 key actions to develop the country’s long-term, plan-led approach to offshore wind. Among these, for instance, are providing the structures and supports necessary to establish a future DMAP (Designated Maritime Area Plan) roadmap and Design, and developing a successor support scheme to the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, ORESS.

The publication of the future framework follows a consultation period earlier this year. It represents one of the key actions under the Offshore Wind Energy Programme developed by the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce. Another key action, the draft South Coast DMAP, will be announced on Friday.

"Renewable energy projects are poised to revolutionise our economy, offering significant regional and national economic benefits while giving us more control over our energy sovereignty,” stated Ryan, adding that Ireland aims to not only power itself, but export its excess energy to power Europe.

"Going to our Atlantic Ocean is not something that can happen overnight. The technology needed to harness the Atlantic’s enormous potential is still being developed globally. But, this strategy provides our planned, evidenced-based approach to realising our energy potential, and we will ensure that Ireland’s West Coast is on the cutting edge of this development," he further commented.

The Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy can be downloaded from the government’s website.

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