East Coast Offshore
EirGrid is playing a key role in meeting the Government’s climate action plan commitment of having eighty percent of the State’s electricity needs coming from renewable energy. A central pillar of this effort will be the connection of at least 5 GW of offshore generation.
In the first phase of the Government’s offshore renewable energy framework, wind turbines at wind farm projects on the east coast will be delivered and owned by private developers. These companies will also develop the offshore grid infrastructure connecting them to the onshore electricity grid, before transferring them to EirGrid.
As the projects progress, this webpage will provide updates and information surrounding EirGrid’s role.
Overview
In phase one of offshore wind, on the east coast, Developers selected their own offshore sites and will build not only their Generation asset (i.e. the wind farm), but the energy transmission infrastructure also.
After successful commissioning and an operational proving period, asset ownership and the associated operational and maintenance responsibilities of all transmission assets, namely the offshore substations, export cables systems and onshore compensation equipment, will transfer to EirGrid. This differs from the second phase of offshore wind, which follows a plan-led approach, where EirGrid build the transmission grid infrastructure necessary to bring power generated by offshore windfarms into our national grid.
To meet this, EirGrid have ongoing engagement with the Developers of phase one project and are planning, designing and developing the processes, systems, skills, and partnerships to enable EirGrid to become the owner and operator of the offshore electricity transmission system. This is being achieved through the Offshore Asset Readiness Plan.
ORESS 1 Auction
ORESS 1 was the first offshore wind auction run under the Government of Ireland’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme.
It was administered by EirGrid on behalf of Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE).
The details of the successful projects are set out below.
Project Name | Location | Capacity (Approximate) | Developer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
Codling Wind Park | Off the coast of Co Wicklow (Greystones to Wicklow Town) | 1,300 MW | EDF Renewables & Fred Olsen Seawind |
Dublin Array | Off the coast of Dublin and North Wicklow | 824 MW | RWE Renewables & Saorgus Energy |
North Irish Sea Array (NISA) | Off the coast of North Co Dublin, Meath, and Louth | 500 MW | Statkraft & Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) |
Arklow Bank Wind Park 2 | Off the coast of Arklow, Co Wicklow | 800 MW | SSE Renewables |
Oriel Wind Farm | Off the coast of Co Louth | 375 MW | JERA, ESB, Parkwind and British Petroleum |
A sixth project, Sceirde Rocks (Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta), on the west coast of Ireland, which was originally included in auction results, has decided not to progress any further with its development.