Offshore wind energy in Ireland is in an accelerated phase after the ORESS 1, Ireland’s first offshore wind project auction in 2023. Four offshore wind farm projects were awarded in the auction with a combined capacity of 3 GW.

In the second quarter of 2024, Ireland released its discussion of two major future-focused offshore energy policies: Ireland’s National Industrial Strategy for Offshore Wind and The Future Framework Policy Statement for Offshore Wind.

Ireland, with high wind speed and extended coastline, targets 5GW of offshore wind installed by 2030, 20 GW by 2040, and then a final wind energy target of 37GW by 2040. Offshore wind development companies like Statkraft, RWE, EDF, Corio Generation, and Saorgus Energy are leading Ireland's green energy targets.

The top ten upcoming offshore wind farm projects in Ireland include Blackwater floating offshore wind farm, Celtic Sea Array Offshore Wind Power Plant, Celtic Offshore Wind Power Plant, Realt na Mara Wind Power Plant, Greystones Offshore Wind Power Plant, Western Star Wind Power Plant, and North Irish Sea Array. 

Let’s dive deep into these wind energy projects. 

Top Offshore Wind Farm Projects in Ireland

Blackwater Floating Offshore Wind Power Plant

Blackwater Floating Offshore Wind Power Plant is a 1.5 GW joint venture project by Cobra and Flotation Energy. The single-phase project is located in the Celtic Sea, 22 km off the Wexford coastline in Ireland. The project is currently in the announced stage and is estimated to have a project cost of USD 3000 million.

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The Irish wind farm is expected to commence construction in 2027 and start commercial operation by 2030. This offshore wind farm will feature 83 wind turbines. Also, the project is expected to supply enough clean energy to power 1.4 million households and offset 2.4 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

Celtic Sea Array Offshore Wind Power Plant

The Celtic Sea Array Offshore Wind Power Plant is a 1.2 GW project located 25 km off the coast of Waterford, Ireland. The project developed by SSE Renewables is expected to power 1.2 million Irish homes and offset over 1.2 billion tons of carbon annually. The project is estimated to have a value of USD 2712 million.

The offshore wind farm will consist of approximately 50-70 turbines, each comprising a fixed bottom foundation, nacelle, and rotor assembly. The Foreshore Licence application for the project was submitted by SSE Renewables in 2019 and the Maritime Area Consent (MAC) application in the second quarter of 2023. After offshore ground investigation works, the construction will commence in 2027 and commercial production is estimated in 2030.

Celtic Offshore Wind Power Plant

The Celtic Offshore Wind project is a 1.5 MW project initiated by ESB and Orsted off the coast of Ireland. The project consists of two distinct phases: Celtic One and Celtic Two. The Celtic One Offshore Wind Farm is a fixed foundation project and the Celtic Two Offshore Wind Farm represents the second phase, having floating technology. The project cost is estimated to be USD 2250 million.

The Celtic Offshore Wind project aims to deliver approximately 800 MW of capacity, sufficient to power up to 700,000 homes, and is expected to be operational by 2030. This development is designed to exploit advancements in fixed foundation technology suitable for water depths up to 80m.

The Celtic Two Offshore Wind Farm represents the second phase, approximately 27 km south of Ballycotton. This project is designed for water depths of 80-90 m and is also expected to generate around 800MW, enough to supply energy to up to 750,000 homes. The floating wind technology is considered a rapidly maturing technology, offering commercial opportunities in deeper offshore areas.

Realt na Mara Wind Power Plant

The Réalt na Mara Offshore Wind project is developed by Ocean Winds, a joint venture between EDP Renewables and ENGIE. The wind farm is located in the Irish Sea, off the coasts of Dublin and Wicklow. The 1.6 GW capacity project can power up to 1.5 million Irish homes annually. The project is in the early stages, and the estimated cost is around USD 2080 million.

Preliminary assessments suggest the use of fixed bottom technology, where turbines are installed on foundations in the seabed. The first step involves applying for a foreshore license to conduct surveys to assess the site’s potential for wind farm development.

Public consultation and site surveys will refine the project design, followed by an application for a seabed lease to the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA). The project will start its commercial operation by 2030 and have a lifespan of 25 to 30 years.

Western Star Wind Power Plant

The Western Star Floating Wind project was developed by Simply Blue Group and EDF Renewables Ireland and is 35-60 km off the west coast of Clare, Irish Sea. The wind farm has a capacity of up to 1.35 GW and will provide clean energy to 1 million Irish homes. The project utilizes advanced Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) technology, and the project cost is estimated to be USD 1800 million.

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Currently, this Irish offshore wind farm is in the permitting phase. The wind farm is developed in multiple phases and the construction is likely to commence in 2026 and is expected to enter into commercial operation in 2030.

Codling Wind Park

Codling Wind Park is a proposed 1,300 MW offshore wind farm located in the Irish Sea. The wind farm is situated approximately 13 to 22 kilometers off the County Wicklow coast, between Greystones and Wicklow Town. The offshore renewable energy project is a 50/50 joint venture between Fred. Olsen Seawind and EDF Renewables cover an area of 125 km² on Codling Bank.

Ireland's largest Phase One offshore wind project is expected to generate clean electricity for over one million Irish homes annually. Codling Wind Park was among seven offshore wind projects in Ireland awarded Maritime Area Consents (MACs) and secured a Contract for Difference (CfD) at a strike price of EUR 89.82/MWh. 

The wind farm will consist of a minimum of 60 and a maximum of 75 turbines and electricity is transmitted through 220 kV onshore substation into EirGrid’s national network. On September 9, 2024, the joint venture submitted a planning application to An Bord Pleanála, seeking a ten-year planning permission and proposing an operational lifespan of 25 years.

Greystones Offshore Wind Power Plant

The Greystones Offshore Wind Farm is owned by Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios and Flotation Energy, each holding a 50% ownership stake. The wind farm is located in the Irish waters, near Dublin, Ireland, and has a capacity of 1.2 GW. The project is in the announced stage and has a project value of USD 1800 million.

The single-phase wind park is expected to commence construction in 2026 and become operational in 2030. The wind farm will consist of 55 turbines mounted on fixed-type foundations, covering an area of 303km². It is projected to supply enough clean energy to power approximately 1,120,000 households and to offset around 1,989,039 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Dublin Array Offshore Wind Farm

Dublin Array Offshore Wind Farm is one of the largest offshore wind farms in Ireland. The wind farm was originally proposed in 1999 and developed by Saorgus Energy, now resumed by a 50/50 joint venture between RWE Renewables and Saorgus Energy, with RWE leading its development. The wind farm is located approximately 10 kilometers off the coast of Dublin and Wicklow counties on the Kish and Bray Banks.

Dublin Array has an expected 834 MW offshore wind capacity, consisting of between 39 and 50 turbines, each with a capacity of 15 MW or more. The project is expecting a capital investment of over EUR 2 billion and is anticipated to provide power to approximately 770,000 homes while reducing carbon emissions by around 1.5 million tonnes annually.

The project received its Maritime Area Consent (MAC) in December 2022. In 2023, the wind project secured a Contract for Difference (CfD) and successfully participated in Ireland’s first Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) auction. Dublin Array is currently expected to begin construction in 2027.

North Irish Sea Array (NISA wind farm)

The North Irish Sea Array is a 500 MW project developed by Statkraft and its partner Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) in the North Irish Sea, located off the coast of Northern Ireland. The project is currently in the design stage, having the capacity to power 500,000 Irish homes.

The offshore wind project is proposed to include approximately between 35 and 49 turbines. It will be connected to Ireland’s electricity grid at Belcamp Station as specified by EirGrid. The project is expected to displace approximately half a million tonnes of CO2 per annum.

The initial consultation and feasibility study was conducted in 2019, followed by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in 2021. The project is expected to apply for planning in 2024, and construction is expected to commence in 2026. The operation of this wind farm is expected to commence in 2029, providing low-price renewable electricity for the next 20 years.

Sceirde Rocks

Sceirde Rocks Wind Farm (Carraigeacha Sceirde) is one of Ireland’s first large-scale offshore wind farms. The wind farm is located off the coast of Connemara, approximately 5 km to 12 km from the mainland and 8km from the nearest settlement at Carna. The wind farm project is developed by Corio Generation through the Irish and Gaeltacht based company Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta (FST).

Sceirde Rocks wind farm has a capacity of 450 MW and will consist of 30 offshore wind turbines. Once operational, it will provide enough clean energy to power over 350,000 homes. The wind farm is set to support Ireland's goal of generating 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The project is expected to deliver economic growth through a proposed Community Benefit Fund worth approximately EUR 3.5 million per year over a 20-year period.

In January 2025, the developers submitted a planning application to An Bord Pleanála, including a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Natura Impact Statement to address potential environmental effects. The construction of the wind farm is expected to take place between 2026 and 2029, and full operational status is expected to be achieved by 2030. 

Top Wind Farm Projects in Ireland

There are also offshore wind projects that contribute to Ireland's goal of generating 7 GW of power from offshore wind by 2030. Let’s look into them:

1. Emerald Offshore Wind Power Plant
2. Tarbert Wind Power Plant
3. Inis Ealga Marine Wind Power Plant
4. Shelmalere Wind Power Plant
5. Clarus Wind Power Plant
6. North Celtic Sea Offshore Wind Power Plant
7. Celtic One Offshore Wind Power Plant
8. Celtic Two Offshore Wind Power Plant
9. Clogherhead Offshore Wind Power Plant
10. Emerald Offshore Wind Power Plant Phase II
11. East Celtic Offshore Wind Power Plant 
12. South Irish Sea Wind Power Plant 
13. Bore Array Offshore Wind Power Plant
14. Parkwind Oriel windfarm

Future of Offshore Wind Sector in Ireland

Ireland is about to make a difference in clean energy production. The Irish government is committed to the goal of providing 80% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. The aim is to set up 37 GW of offshore renewable energy projects by 2050.

After a successful first round of auction, Ireland will hold a second offshore wind auction in 2025 for the second site identified off the southern coast, namely Lí Ban. The auction for the Tonn Nua site identified earlier will begin in early 2025.

The action plans of the first round, which secured winning bids of EUR 86/MWh, are expected to be repeated this year. ORESS 1 auction was one of the lowest prices paid by an emerging offshore wind market in the world.

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In 2025, Belfast Harbour has revealed plans to invest more than GBP 300 million (approximately EUR 354 million) in capital projects across the port and Harbour Estate over the next five years to support the offshore wind industry.

This is part of the Advance Regional Prosperity 2025-2029 strategy that outlines the port’s plans to invest GBP 208 million in port improvements and GBP 105 million in the ongoing regeneration and development of the Harbour Estate and waterfront.

The Irish government is planning a USD 100 billion investment aligned with the published “Powering Prosperity: Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy.” The investments will be in four key sectors, including the supply chain, the RD&I (Research, Development, and Innovation) ecosystem, and regional development. The strategic outline for decarbonization includes 40 actions that will be implemented in 2024 and 2025 to support a resilient offshore wind industry.

Find the Latest  Offshore Wind Power Plant Projects in Ireland with Ease

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