Mayo fears over offshore wind energy investment

Concerns expressed that a golden opportunity could pass the county by

Mayo is facing the prospect of losing out on multi-billion-euro investment in offshore windfarms and ancillary development into the future, The Connaught Telegraph has learned.

A number of leading firms are examining the prospect of building plants at ocean sites along the west coast of Ireland in the interest of enhancing energy security and replacing fossil fuels.

But locations off the Mayo coastline have challenges due to low grid capacity and inadequate port infrastructure.

On the positive side, the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS) is locating off Annagh Head, west of Belmullet, and will be connected to the national grid.

The floating test site is an integral component of Ireland’s Ocean Energy Strategy and is being developed in accordance with the national Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP).

However, there are issues to be addressed in respect of other potential development along the entire west coast region.

Planning and consent legislation is in hand now, but the application process still needs to be successful.

There is also a need to tackle licensing for a plethora of vessels from smaller workboat type to large construction vessels, as well as standards and certification for seafarers, in particular those who may wish to transition from fishing certificates to merchant marine qualifications.

Speaking at a conference on offshore renewable opportunities hosted by Cork-based Simply Blue Group Limited – part of a global movement focused on replacing fossil fuels with clean ocean energy – one of the founders of Mayo-based firm Aigean Marine expressed his fears over the western region missing out on a golden opportunity over the next 20 to 30 years.

Ballintubber-based Shane Heverin, who has over 20 years of experience in the maritime and offshore energy sectors, said Irish mariners need to be given the opportunity to work in their own country on projects like offshore wind energy.

He stated: “Companies that are going to build these projects already have experience in oil and gas production where the standards are extremely high.

“When this industry takes off in Ireland, we are only going to get one shot at getting it right. It will provide a high number of jobs, both in construction and maintenance.

“But we need a lot of things to happen before then and it would be disastrous if we did not get the necessary legislation and planning over the line, including impediments in regard to licensing.

“Legislation to modernise and reform the system for developing offshore wind generation capacity has passed through the Oireachtas and Maritime Area Planning Bill was passed and finally signed into law in December 2021

“But the slow pace of planning and regulatory reform has been factor already in a Norwegian energy company ceasing its involvement in the development of offshore wind electricity generation capacity off the coast of Ireland in partnership with the ESB. That's very disappointing.”

Equinor had been working with the ESB since 2019 to identify and build a portfolio of offshore projects around the east, south and west coasts.

This included plans for a floating windfarm with generating capacity of up to 1.5GW at Moneypoint off the coasts of counties Clare and Kerry.

Equinor’s decision to pull out of the early phase offshore wind activities in Ireland had been partly motivated by the local regulatory uncertainty

Mr. Heverin said irrespective of the current problems, the construction of offshore wind projects in Irish waters on a large scale is imminent over the coming two decades and it would be regrettable if the western region, including Mayo, is not in a position to capitalise.

“To quote my colleague and co-founder of Aigean Marine (Robert Conneely), for Ireland not to deliver on its wind energy potential would be like Saudi Arabia not drilling for oil. It's unthinkable,” he added.