Top News This Week: Offshore Wind Energy Developments

Ireland's Offshore Wind Ambitions

At the recent WindEurope Annual Event in Bilbao, Minister Eamon Ryan reiterated Ireland's ambitious plans for offshore wind energy. Ireland aims to deliver 20 GW of offshore wind by 2040 and expand this to 37 GW by 2050. This ambitious plan is backed by significant legislative and regulatory frameworks to ensure successful implementation. Notably, Ireland's first offshore wind auction, ORESS 1, secured over 3 GW of capacity, which is expected to power approximately 2.5 million homes and substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Sources: gov.ie, Offshore Wind Biz

California's Transmission Plan for Offshore Wind

The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) has approved the 2023-2024 Transmission Plan. This plan identifies critical upgrades needed for California’s transmission system to efficiently deliver power from offshore wind turbines to homes and businesses across the state. These upgrades are essential to meet California's renewable energy targets and ensure a stable power supply as the state increases its reliance on offshore wind energy.

Source: CAISO

France's Simplification Measures for Offshore Wind Projects

In a bid to accelerate the development of offshore wind farms, France has announced measures to simplify and shorten the planning and permitting processes. Currently, it takes 10 to 12 years to develop an offshore wind farm in France, posing a risk to economic viability and energy targets. The new measures aim to reduce this timeline to around six years by waiving certain public procurement rules and speeding up grid connections.

Source: WindEurope

UK’s GBP 50 Million Offshore Wind Accelerator Fund

The UK has launched a new GBP 50 million fund to accelerate and de-risk early-stage offshore wind projects. An initial GBP 10 million round is open for Expressions of Interest for businesses developing projects in the Celtic Sea, aimed at bolstering the UK’s offshore wind supply chain. The fund is part of a broader strategy to enhance the economic impact of the offshore wind sector, with the potential to create thousands of jobs and boost the economy by billions.

Sources: Offshore Wind Biz, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment