The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
NORWEGIAN company Equinor have pulled out of a planned partnership with the ESB for the development of wind energy off the coast of West Clare.
It was expected that the project would have generated enough power for 1.5 million homes and with coal burning set to cease at Moneypoint, it would have provided West Clare with a significant economic boost.
Sinn Féin TD for Clare Violet-Anne Wynne said it is disappointing news. “This offshore windfarm was a central component to the Government’s commitment in the Programme for Government to provide 5GW of wind energy by 2030.
“This is part of a greater promise to generate 80% of Ireland’s energy needs through renewable sources by 20230. The irony is that Equinor have pulled out the same day that the Government are announcing their much-awaited Climate Action Plan.
“Which is more telling of the Government’s capacity to reach carbon neutrality; their ability to produce another lengthy document or their sustained engagement on crucial renewable projects such as this windfarm off Clare’s coast?
“It is a devastating blow for the community in West Clare. There have been very scant details about what the ‘Green Atlantic’ project is actually going to look like. The €2 billion offshore windfarm in the pipeline, using floating technology seemed like positive movement in the right direction.
“However now, the future of the project is called into question. Are other foreign investment partners going to be similarly offput by Ireland’s excessive bureaucracy in terms of planning and regulation? I appreciate that the Maritime Area Planning Bill is going through the houses at the moment but energy experts warn that the protracted nature of this process will have detrimental effects on how responsive we are to adapting to the challenges presented by Climate Change.
“It would have provided 1.4GW of the overall national total of 5GW making it one of the main wind energy infrastructures in the country. The youth in the area are crying out for jobs and this project would have provided opportunities for a very disenfranchised youth.”
She said that progress has been far too slow. ” “Planning began for this project in 2019. Now in 2021 – we come to learn that Equinor has pulled out. That is two years wasted. The battle against Climate Change is a battle against time.”
In a statement the ESB said it will still continue to work towards the development of offshore wind energy, following the setback.
“ESB remains fully committed to developing and delivering a major portfolio of offshore wind projects in Irish waters following the decision by Equinor not to continue with offshore wind development in Ireland at this time.
“ESB signed a cooperation agreement with Equinor, a leading developer of fixed and floating offshore wind, in 2019. Since then, both companies have worked closely together to identify and develop a portfolio of offshore projects around the east, south and west coasts of Ireland. Significant preparation work, including foreshore licence applications, has been completed and ESB believes that these projects will make an important contribution to the Programme for Government’s target of 5GW of offshore wind by 2030.
“Following a review by Equinor of its strategy to develop profitable growth in renewables, they decided to stop their early phase offshore wind activities in Ireland. Equinor has conveyed that they were very impressed with ESB’s professionalism and capability and that they wish ESB every success as they continue to develop a portfolio of offshore wind projects in Irish waters.
“While ESB is disappointed with the decision by Equinor to withdraw from Irish offshore wind development, this in no way diminishes the ambition of ESB to deliver an offshore wind portfolio of scale in our home market. The ESB team is making strong progress on the development work associated with an exciting multi-GW portfolio of projects. The first of these projects, Oriel Wind Farm in partnership with Parkwind, will enter into the first offshore wind renewable auction in 2022.
“We are confident that ESB will have a significant role to play in the delivery of new offshore wind in Ireland, both fixed and floating, to 2030 and beyond.”
Owen Ryan
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked for a number of other regional titles in Limerick, Galway and Cork.
