On the crest of a multi-million euro wave

A CONSORTIUM, including one of Europe’s top energy companies and a leading Irish ocean energy technology firm, is pursuing the development of a multi-million euro wavefarm off the Clare coast, it has been confirmed.

Tonn Energy/Vattenfall are partners in the WestWave proposal, which has identified the coast off Spanish Point and the north-west coast off Mayo as two of the top zones for the development of wave energy in Ireland.
It is being led by the electricity utilities, ESB International and Vattenfall, who will bear the majority of the financial risk.
The WestWave project aims to install and operate wave energy turbines capable of generating 10MW of clean electricity by 2015, while harvesting only a tiny fraction of the massive power hitting the west coast.
This project will also pave the way for commercial projects, in terms of consenting procedures, such as foreshore licensing, permitting, electrical grid access and local infrastructure.
Clare Fianna Fáil General Election candidate, Dr John Hillery said this week that the proposed project is one of a number of positive developments in the air for Clare, which have the potential to create up to 10,000 jobs in the local green tech sector over the next decade.
He has pledged, if elected, to address the present “bureaucratic system of environmental designations”, which are an impediment to progressing such projects at a greater pace.
An application for EU funding has been made through the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and Harvey Appelbe of Tonn Energy has confirmed that this project has the potential to realise thousands of jobs for the county and would have a spin-off for local industry.
He confirmed that a number of issues, such as bureaucracy and licensing, have presented obstacles to development in the past and hoped these would be addressed in a strategic way by the Department of the Environment.
He said the company wouldn’t support a proposed development levy in Clare as it would likely result in development moving elsewhere. “We believe that an early project, like WestWave, would provide the exercise that would enable local industry and people to develop the capacity to participate in this business in an inartificial, sustainable way,” he said.
Dr Hillery has cautioned that changes in national policies would be required to allow Clare to take full advantage of its natural resources.
He explained a more robust licensing system is required, whereby the Government puts licenses out to tender, placing an onus on business consortiums to factor in the local benefit, avoiding a situation whereby resources sourced locally are channelled directly to mainland Europe with a small economic gain for Clare.
“If elected, I will seek to redress the present bureaucratic system of environmental designations, a planning procedure that takes an inordinate period of time and a grid connection process in need of reform, which combined are stifling job creation and the growth of the green tech sector.
“Although Clare County Council are extremely proactive in the area of encouraging renewable energy development, the process can take from eight to 10 years from initiating a project to final grid connection. This is why Ireland is so far behind countries leading the way in the renewable energy sector,” he said.
Dr Hillery pointed to the delay in progressing the Mount Callan cooperative windfarm project in West Clare, which has received planning approval, as an example of where policy changes are required.
“The delay in progressing the windfarm project is holding back the creation of jobs, the provision of sustainable rural farm income and is acting as a deterrent for similar type developments across County Clare and further afield,” he said.
Dr Hillery said harnessing wave energy off the West Clare coast would revitalise ports in Belharbour, Ballyvaughan, Doolin, Liscannor, Seafield, Kilkee, Kilrush, Carrigaholt and along the Shannon Estuary, which could be utilised as landing points and service centres for these offshore facilities, providing much needed employment across a wide spectrum of businesses.
The WestWave project would also provide an improved rates base for the council, thus allowing scope for the reduction in commercial rates for struggling local businesses, he added.
“If Clare is successful in harnessing low carbon energy and given our strategic advantage in possessing an unparalleled grid infrastructure, towns such as Miltown Malbay, Kilrush, Ennis and Shannon can become hubs for multinationals,” Dr Hillery stated.