Plans advance for major €3bn wind farm off the Dublin/Wicklow coastline

Developer backed by French and Spanish energy giants has applied to the Department of Housing seeking a foreshore licence for the Cailleach site

The Cailleach wind farm is proposed for a site 13km off the Dublin/Wicklow coast

Dr Andronikos Kafas, offshore wind opportunities manager of Ocean Winds

The Cailleach wind farm is proposed for a site 13km off the Dublin/Wicklow coast

Dr Andronikos Kafas, offshore wind opportunities manager of Ocean Winds

The Cailleach wind farm is proposed for a site 13km off the Dublin/Wicklow coast

Sean Pollock Email

April 11 2021 02:30 AM

An international energy group is planning a wind farm project off Bray Head to create what could be one of the country’s largest electricity generating facilities involving a potential investment of around €3bn.

Ocean Winds, a joint venture owned by energy giants EDPR and ENGIE, has applied for a foreshore licence to develop an offshore wind farm in Co Wicklow, the Sunday Independent has learned.

The up-to-1.6 gigawatts (GW) project – the Cailleach offshore wind farm – would be located 13km from Bray Head, with the company targeting completion in 2030.

Ocean Winds said the proposed development site is between the Codling Wind Park offshore wind project, which is 13km off the coast between Greystones and Wicklow, and the Dublin Array offshore wind farm project, which is located on the Kish and Bray sandbanks.

The project backers intend to obtain a Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) award by the mid-2020s and contribute to the Government’s 2030 policy targets.

Speaking with the Sunday Independent on the project, Dr Andronikos Kafas, the new offshore wind opportunities manager of Ocean Winds, said the company had high ambitions for the Irish renewables market.

“Our application for a Foreshore Licence marks our entry to a new market while the new competitive, regulatory regime is being established.

"We look forward to presenting attractive, high-quality, highly competitive proposals, and creating new opportunities for local enterprises at the cutting edge of renewable technology”.

Dr Andronikos Kafas, offshore wind opportunities manager of Ocean Winds

Kafas said he could not give an exact figure on the level of investment required for the project but said a typical 1GW offshore wind farm would require an investment of between €2bn to €3bn. The amount of investment could change between geographies, however, and any advances in technology.

He was also unable to comment on the number of jobs the project could create.

Kafas said Ocean Winds has further plans for renewable energy investment in the Irish market, having spent the last 12-to-18 months undertaking greenfield site selections.

“Capitalising on the expertise, we have been identifying sites that will have a bit of a positive development timescale,” he said. “Something that is deliverable and, of course, commercially attractive.

“There are a number of opportunities we have identified in Ireland, wind farm opportunities,” he added, stating that it was too early to comment on the others.

Kafas added Ocean Winds intends to work with local suppliers where possible, promoting the local market and helping Ireland’s renewables’ supply chain grow.

Ocean Winds already has 4GW of wind farms in construction and operation, including the 950MW Moray East and Moray West bottom-fixed offshore wind projects in Scotland.

Ocean Winds targets to reach 5-7GW of projects in operation or construction and 5-10GW under advanced development by 2025.