The Anonymous Widower

SSE Renewables Unveils Plans For Wind Farm Offshore Ireland’s Atlantic Coast

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.

This is the sub-heading.

SSE Renewables is seeking an investigative foreshore licence to facilitate survey work for a possible new offshore wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Tarbert, Co. Kerry, Ireland.

This Google Map shows the approximate location of Tarbert.

These two paragraphs outline the project.

SSE Renewables has recently submitted an application for an investigative foreshore licence to Ireland’s Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and is seeking approval for investigative surveys of the seabed for an offshore wind project which could generate up to 1 GW of energy.

These geophysical, geotechnical, and environmental surveys are required to inform the renewable energy developer’s understanding of the prevailing environmental and met-ocean conditions at the foreshore investigative array area, which is a minimum of 13 kilometres offshore.

This is SSE Renewables’ first licence application for an offshore wind project off the west coast of Ireland.

In SSE Thermal Secures 10-year Contracts For Two New Low-Carbon Power Stations In Ireland, I talked about two biomass power stations at Tarbert in Co. Kerry and Platin in Co. Meath.

It looks like the Tarbert wind farm and power station will work as a team and back each other up.

We Mustn’t Forget Platin!

This Google Map shows Dublin and its position relative to the North Wales coast.

Note.

  1. Platin is marked by the red arrows to the North of Dublin.
  2. Platin also appears to be the head office and a manufacturing site of Irish Cement, who probably are a large user of energy.
  3. The sea between Blackpool, Liverpool, Anglesey and the Isle of Man is full of wind turbines.

These wind farms are located in this area of UK waters.

  • Barrow – 30 MW
  • Burbo Bank – 90 MW
  • Burbo Bank Extension – 258 MW
  • Gwynt y Môr – 576 MW
  • Ormonde – 150 MW
  • Rhyl Flats – 90 MW
  • Walney – 367 MW
  • Walney Extension – 650 MW
  • West Of Duddon Sands – 389 MW
  • Mona – 1500 MW – Being Planned
  • Morecambe – 480 MW – Being Planned
  • Morgan – 1500 MW – Being Planned
  • Awel y Môr – 500 MW – Being Planned

Note.

  1. 2600 MW has been commissioned.
  2. 3980 MW is being planned.

I would not be surprised to see SSE or one of their friends, build a GW-scale wind farm between Anglesey, Dublin and Dundalk.

Is Ireland apparently lagging behind the UK, because the waters near the Irish coast are deeper and would need still-developing floating wind technology?

Conclusion

It looks like the Irish government and SSE are planning a low-carbon electricity system for Ireland.

April 6, 2023 Posted by | Energy | , , , , , , , | 4 Comments