Irish wind industry could open over 35,000 jobs - study

Feb 20, 2014 - The Irish wind sector has the potential to create up to 35,275 jobs under the most ambitious scenario, a study by Trinity College Dublin and the Economic Social Research Institute revealed on Wednesday.

According to the report, which was commissioned by German Siemens (ETR:SIE) and the Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA), the projected jobs can be opened if the country develops 12,000 MW of wind projects, including 4,000 MW for the domestic market and 8,000 MW for export. A middle-range scenario in which Ireland adds 8,000 MW of wind capacity will result in total of 17,084 new jobs, the study suggests. Under the most modest projection, if the country sticks to a plan to meets its 2020 targets and installs only 4,000 MW of wind farms, it will create 8,355 jobs, which will still more than double the present headcount in the sector.

The middle and the maximum build-out scenarios assume the cost of the expansion in the wind segment is supported by commercial revenue from projects, while the Exchequer does not participate in the investment, the study said. Among the possible jobs that could be created are roles in the construction, engineering, manufacturing, operation and maintenance and the information technologies (IT) sectors.

The authors of the report "An Enterprising Wind; An Economic Analysis Of The Job Creation Potential Of The Wind Sector In Ireland" estimate that the wind sector will require an overall investment of between EUR 7 billion (USD 9.6bn) and EUR 29 billion depending on the capacity target. The study has been commissioned by the Irish Wind Energy Association and Siemens (FRA:SIE).

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.375)

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