The Shannon Estuary, with Foynes Port at its heart, has the potential electricity generation to deliver a multiple of Ireland’s current domestic demand in the coming decades, and with it the potential for thousands of jobs and billions of euro of investment in the supply chain.
The review of the Shannon Foynes Port Company’s Vision 2041 masterplan by global experts Bechtel confirmed the potential electricity generation from the enormous renewable energy resource of the west coast winds can deliver 30 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2050 – six times more than existing domestic demand.
Significantly, this energy would also kick-start a new industrial ecosystem based on the production of carbon free green electricity, hydrogen and derivatives, which will be transformational for Ireland by way of use for domestic electricity and e-fuels, electricity exports and e-fuels exports.
At peak, up to 120 floating turbines would be installed offshore per year.
The economic impacts would also be far reaching with thousands of jobs created and billions of euro invested in supply chain and route-to-market infrastructure and facilities around the region.
Pat Keating, CEO of Shannon Foynes Port said: “This report is a roadmap for what is required to deliver the unique floating offshore wind opportunity that exists for this region, Ireland and, indeed, Europe because of the unique confluence of assets here on the Estuary and west coast.
“The mix of our world-class wind resources and the natural infrastructure, not least our deep sheltered waters, for a global manufacturing and industry base adds up to what is an unprecedented opportunity that we must capitalise on urgently to address climate change.
“To fully unlock these significant opportunities, there are national policies in several sectors that require updating. Examples include more clarity and urgency around energy policy, enduring regime, alternative fuels and wider economic and social policies.”
Michelle De Franca of Bechtel added: “There is an increasingly strong case for investing in port infrastructure to support the growth in offshore wind, and the importance of creating local supply chains cannot be underestimated.”
Environment Minister Eamon Ryan was also present in Foynes on Friday, and indicated that the opportunity there is a “baseline estimate.”