Floating wind farm plans need stormont resumption to meet renewable energy targets

The company behind plans for a floating offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea said the project is progressing at pace but needs a resumption of the Stormont government if it is to be operational in time to meet Northern Ireland’s 2030 renewable electricity target.

North Channel Wind is aiming to build a wind farm off the coasts of counties Antrim and Down to supply over one gigawatt of electricity to Northern Ireland, thought to be enough for over 700,000 homes. But the current stalemate between political parties and lack of government means legislation can’t be passed for a vital new connection policy.

“While progress is good there are a number of risks ahead not least the lack of an Assembly whose support we need for legislative purposes,” Project director Niamh Kenny said. “Offshore wind requires a new connection policy which cannot proceed without legislation, nor can we provide a decommissioning policy for the wind turbines without legislation.”

North Channel Wind said it is in the process of carrying out a two-year bird and mammal survey, has carried out a geotechnical study and has submitted an application for permission to carry out marine surveys to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. The company has also carried out consultations with communities along the coastline and is scoping out potential landing sites for cabling from the wind farm and an adjacent substation.

The company said it is now calling on the Crown Estate, which owns the seabed, to make leases for development available so it and other potential investors can invest in renewable energy technology.

North Channel Wind is owned by Dutch marine engineers SBM Offshore and laid out plans less that two years ago to build the floating wind farm, one which will include 25 large turbines. If it gets the go-ahead from the Crown estate, it said the wind farm could supply electricity to Northern Ireland by 2030, in time to help the province reach its aim to have 80% of electricity produced from renewable sources.

“Our initial and voluntary consultations indicate a high level of support for the offshore wind project,” Ms Kenny said “This is based on a broader appreciation that the climate emergency is upon us and that we need to rapidly transition from reliance on fossil fuels and embrace the new technologies which will provide emissions free and reliable electricity.”

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