Powering Up Offshore

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. This is broken down into three phases.

This phase saw six projects participate in the first Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction (ORESS 1 auction) – five off Ireland’s east coast, and one off the west coast.

In Phase 1, the wind turbines will be delivered and owned by private developers, which will also develop the offshore grid infrastructure connecting them to the onshore electricity grid.

The six projects participated in Ireland’s first offshore wind auction under ORESS 1, the results of which were announced on May 11th 2023. ORESS invites renewable energy projects to compete against each other to win contracts to provide electricity at the bid price for a 20-year period.

The auction secured over 3GW of capacity from four offshore wind projects at an average of €86.05/MWh. This will deliver over 12 terawatt hours of renewable electricity per year.

EirGrid is responsible for providing onshore grid connections for these wind farms, and will eventually take ownership of the offshore grid infrastructure for Phase 1 wind farms.

Powering Up Offshore - South Coast is a project to build the new transmission grid infrastructure necessary to bring power generated by offshore windfarms into our national grid.

As part of the government-led approach to the delivery of offshore wind, approximately 900 MW of electricity is to be supplied from wind farms in the sea off Ireland’s south coast - enough to power almost one million homes with clean energy.

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. 

To enable the integration of offshore wind it is necessary for EirGrid to provide the necessary infrastructure. For this project the following infrastructure is required;

Two offshore substation platforms – to be located within the Maritime Area A, also known as Tonn Nua which is indicated on the map below, of the South Coast – Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP.) 

The (SC-DMAP) is Ireland's first forward spatial plan for offshore renewable energy (ORE). 

The following supporting infrastructure will then be required in Co Cork and in Co Waterford/Wexford:

Developing the offshore electricity grid is key to harnessing Ireland’s offshore wind energy potential and providing greater security of electricity supply from a clean renewable source.

Further information about this project is available on the project page.

Phase 3 aims to support the long-term potential for a floating offshore wind industry. 

The Government has set an initial target of 2GW of floating offshore wind to be in development by 2030. 

This may include the development of projects devoted to production of green hydrogen, to create the necessary environment to develop an indigenous hydrogen industry, and projects devoted to other non-grid uses.

It is anticipated that this 2GW may not be connected to the electricity grid in the traditional manner. 

A Phase 3 policy document will be developed and published early in 2024.

Future Framework

Projects under this phase start to be deployed at the end of this decade. 

The Future Framework will see greater State involvement in the development of the sector, in terms of where projects are developed, when they are developed, and where the energy generated will be used.

This plan-led approach will optimise and expedite the development of offshore and onshore energy grid infrastructure to enable Ireland to become a major regional producer and exporter of green energy, whilst bolstering security of supply.

This will include future development by EirGrid and the private sector of additional European cross-border connectivity, such as point-to-point and hybrid electricity interconnectors, and offshore energy islands.