Shaping Our Offshore Energy Future

EirGrid develops, manages, and operates Ireland’s electricity grid. We are responsible for the safe, secure and reliable supply of Ireland’s electricity. Our job is to bring power from where it is generated to where it is needed throughout Ireland, onshore and offshore.

We are also leading the secure transition of the electricity grid to a sustainable low-carbon future. The Government of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2023 places offshore wind power at the centre of the state’s commitment to producing 80% of our energy from renewable sources by 2030.

What's Included?

While EirGrid is not responsible for generating electricity or building windfarms, we are responsible for connecting electricity generation infrastructure, such as offshore and onshore windfarms, into our national electricity grid.

As part of Shaping Our Offshore Energy Future, EirGrid plans to develop offshore electricity substations and associated undersea electricity cables. This new infrastructure will bring the power generated by offshore windfarms into our national electricity grid.

To achieve this we will need to develop:

Our Role

In March 2023, the Government published a framework that outlined a four-phase process for developing offshore wind energy infrastructure.

In the short-term, the framework is based on a developer-led approach, taking advantage of projects that have been in development for several years. In the medium to long-term it transitions to a plan-led approach in which EirGrid plays a key role.

The Offshore project will help deliver up to 900 MW of additional electricity. The new electricity will be generated by offshore wind farms in Irish waters.

Read our brochure to see the most up-to-date information on this project.

October 2024

Ireland’s Oireachtas has approved the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP) which identifies four sites for new offshore wind farms off the south coast. 

The motion approving the plan was passed without opposition in Seanad Éireann and following this was passed in the Dáil. 

This clears the way for an auction to take place early next year for the first of the sites (Area A), known as Tonn Nua, which would be a 900 MW offshore wind farm.

May 2024

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan has published the draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP), which identifies four maritime areas off the south coast in which development of offshore renewable energy is proposed to take place.

Following publication, the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) is now holding a public consultation on the proposed location for the development of offshore renewable energy on the south coast. This location is referred to as the South Coast Designated Marine Area Plan (SC-DMAP). 

Following conclusion of the consultation and issuing of the final SC- DMAP by government, as part of Shaping Our Offshore Energy Future, EirGrid plans to develop offshore electricity substation(s) and associated undersea electricity cables. This new infrastructure will bring the power generated by offshore windfarms into our national electricity grid. 

February 2024 

In line with the update provided in December 2023 by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications for the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP), EirGrid understands that a draft DMAP is due to be published in Spring 2024.  

This will provide further detail on future offshore renewable energy along the south coast of Ireland.

EirGrid is therefore withdrawing the current foreshore licence applications on the south coast and will await the detail of this upcoming plan.

New licence application/s will subsequently be made to the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) in accordance with updated legislative provisions.