Energia and EDF are promoting investments in Irish wind farms

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Energy utility Energia is about to begin work on two € 1 billion offshore wind projects, while French giant EDF yesterday pledged to increase investment in the republic.

The Department of Housing and Local Government has granted Energia foreshore licenses giving it the exclusive right to examine areas of the Irish and Celtic Seas for two offshore wind farms of 800 megawatts (MW) each.

Seabed surveys are an important first step in offshore wind farm development as they allow developers to identify the best locations for the turbines that will ultimately generate the electricity.

Energia is planning a farm in the South Irish Sea and another in the North Celtic Sea, which, according to its renewable energy manager Peter Baillie, will require a total investment of around € 2 billion or € 1 billion each.

He predicted that the investigation, the building permit, the grid connections and the construction would take several years. “We will hopefully be up and running towards the end of 2019,” said Mr. Baillie.

Meanwhile, EDF Renewables announced on Wednesday that it was planning to build onshore wind farms in the republic with a capacity of up to 500 MW by 2030.

The 500 million euro commitment complements the partnership with the Scandinavian group Fred Olsen in the Codling wind farm in the Irish Sea.

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables, pointed out that solar, onshore and offshore commitments meant that power plants with a total capacity of around 1,000 MW would be built in the republic by the end of the decade.

He spoke after the company officially opened its Irish office in Ringsend, Dublin yesterday.

Mr. Hue noted that the Codling project, which will generate 1,500 MW, is currently the largest energy infrastructure project in Ireland. The construction will cost almost 2 billion euros.

The French company bought the local supplier Wexford Solar last year and is working on its first solar parks in the county and neighboring Kilkenny. It is also working on a 100 MW wind project in Kilsallagh, Co. Mayo.

“It was natural for us to come to Ireland to apply our skills both offshore and onshore,” said Hue.

In a statement, he called on the republic to “use” its potential for renewable energies so that it can achieve the government’s net zero carbon target by 2050.

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