Wind Energy – Ireland
The Irish Government has approved the final terms for its very first offshore wind auction.
The auction round will open next month and winners will be announced by June 2023.
Ireland is already a European frontrunner in wind energy, covering more than 30% of its electricity demand from onshore wind. And the country is ideally placed to reap the benefits of competitive and reliable offshore wind.
This means jobs and revenues for coastal communities and clean electricity for Irish homes and businesses. Not least because the auction requires offshore wind projects to make financial contributions to local communities via professionally administered community benefit fund.
Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, comments: “We want to deliver clean offshore wind energy at the best possible price for Irish electricity consumers. The Government’s decision to provide 20-year contracts and to index-link prices will give our members confidence and help to push down prices in next year’s auction.”
The first Irish offshore wind auction could award as much as 2.5 GW of wind farms.
