The Fog Over Ireland’s Offshore Wind Future
Ireland’s ambitions to become a global player in offshore wind are hanging in the balance. Despite significant strides, a lack of clear policy, timelines, and a roadmap beyond current projects leaves the industry in a state of uncertainty. The government’s target of 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030 now looks increasingly unachievable, raising questions about Ireland’s ability to meet its climate goals and remain competitive on the international stage.
While progress has been made—most notably the 2023 auction awarding over 3 GW and the upcoming 2025 ORESS Tonn Nua auction for a 900 MW project—developers are left waiting for critical details. Timelines are vague, pre-auction information is incomplete, and the necessary grid upgrades remain uncertain. For an industry reliant on long-term planning and billions in investment, this ambiguity is a recipe for hesitation.
Four Key Priorities for Ireland’s Offshore Wind Sector
Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) has laid out a stark message: without immediate government action, Ireland risks missing the boat on offshore wind. WEI’s Offshore Wind Action Plan identifies four urgent priorities: deliver the Phase One projects, maximize the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP), implement a National DMAP for future projects, and build the critical enablers—grid, ports, and demand.
Let’s break that down.
Deliver Phase One Projects—Or Lose It All
Phase One projects, already in the planning system, are the foundation of Ireland’s offshore wind industry. Yet developers are tangled in lengthy requests for further information (RFIs), some of which could have been avoided with better pre-planning engagement. An Bord Pleanála’s delays, due to resource shortages across agencies, risk pushing key approvals into 2026, far too late to meet 2030 targets.
WEI stresses the need for a fully staffed Phase One Forum, improved cross-agency coordination, and a clear grid strategy from EirGrid. As WEI bluntly puts it, “Without delivery of these initial projects, there is no offshore wind industry in Ireland.”
South Coast DMAP—Beyond Tonn Nua
While the 900 MW Tonn Nua auction is critical, sites B-D—Lí Ban, Manannán, and Danu—are left in limbo. Should they go through another ORESS auction or a Competitive Maritime Area Consent (MAC) process? That depends on grid capacity, and here again, clarity is missing.
EirGrid’s studies on grid availability in the Southeast must be prioritized, as grid uncertainty is a major roadblock. Industry players need to know if these sites have a viable route to market. Without that, there’s no incentive for developers to move forward, no matter how attractive the sites may look on paper.
National DMAP—A Roadmap for the Future
A National DMAP, covering Ireland’s east, south, and west coasts, is essential for long-term stability. WEI wants this started immediately and completed by 2027 at the latest. The plan should leverage existing data to avoid delays, allocate sites via a competitive MAC process, and integrate demand strategies for both fixed and floating wind.
Crucially, a delivery-focused model is needed: one where MACs and planning consents come before auctions, allowing projects to secure financial investment decisions. This shift in sequencing is seen as critical for unlocking Ireland’s offshore wind potential.
Build the Enablers—Grid, Demand, and Ports
Offshore wind doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Ports, grid, and demand must be ready to catch the wind when it blows. Ireland’s port infrastructure is a known bottleneck, with no clear path yet for expanding capacity at key sites. The risk is stark: if Irish ports aren’t ready, developers may have nowhere to build or maintain turbines, potentially forcing projects to seek capacity in already-stretched European ports—or worse, cancel projects altogether.
On the grid side, a national strategy for grid capacity, interconnections, and private wire solutions must be developed within 12 months. And without a solid demand strategy, especially for the 1 GW+ projects in the Southeast, the market will struggle to attract the investment needed to make these sites a reality.
The Clock Is Ticking
With less than five years to 2030, the message from industry leaders is clear: Ireland must act now or risk losing the momentum it has painstakingly built. As Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, has emphasized in the past, the success of offshore wind in Ireland hinges not on ambition alone, but on timely, decisive action.
