Government seeks views from coastal communities in South and South East to decide locations for future offshore wind developments

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has launched a public information and engagement period seeking the views of local South Coast communities to help determine where future offshore wind energy developments may take place. This follows the publication of the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) Proposal last month by Minister Eamon Ryan, which puts forward an initial ‘proposed’ geographical area within which future offshore renewable energy developments could be advanced. The initial proposed geographical area is approximately 8,600 square kilometres in size.

The department is seeking all views from interested citizens and impacted stakeholders, including: local communities and community organisations, individual local participants or representative bodies from the fishing and seafood sector, environmental organisations, as well as business groups within counties Waterford, Wexford and Cork. The eight-week public information period will run until 26 September and include face-to-face public information events in a number of venues within counties Waterford, Wexford and Cork. Further information relating to these upcoming events will be updated and available on the department’s website at gov.ie/SouthCoastDMAP.

DMAP Proposal Area to be further refined following public engagement and environmental assessment

The establishment of a South Coast DMAP is part of the wider plan-led approach recently adopted by Government to ensure sustainable offshore wind development. What this means in practice is that the State, in cooperation with local communities and with consideration for other maritime activities, including fishing and seafood production, and environmental protection, will determine the appropriate location for offshore wind developments. The marine area of the DMAP proposal will be further refined following this initial eight-week period of public engagement, which will include expert environmental impact assessments and analysis, to assess its suitability for offshore renewable energy development. Following this public information period, a ‘Draft DMAP’ will then be published in autumn 2023, which will identify specific areas for future offshore renewable energy development. The Draft DMAP and accompanying environmental assessments will then undergo a further six-week statutory public consultation period in the autumn, before the Draft DMAP is presented to the Minister for Housing and both houses of the Oireachtas for approval.

Welcoming the start of the public information period, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan, said:

Further information on the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) Proposal is available on gov.ie/SouthCoastDMAP.

ENDS

The offshore renewable wind area has the potential to offer significant opportunities to communities along Ireland’s coast, including job growth and local community development. The success of Ireland’s first offshore wind auction earlier this year highlighted Ireland’s enormous potential in offshore wind. The hugely-competitive price secured — at an average of €86.05/MWh (megawatt hour) — is one of the lowest prices paid by an emerging offshore wind market in the world. This South Coast (DMAP) Proposal will determine where Ireland’s second offshore will take place, with the auction is expected to launch at the end of 2023, or early 2024.

The National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) was adopted by Government in May 2021 as Ireland’s first statutory maritime spatial plan. The NMPF commits Government to the use of sub-national forward spatial planning through the establishment of Designated Maritime Area Plans or DMAPs. Provisions for the use of forward spatial planning and the establishment of DMAPs have been subsequently provided for in national legislation through the MAP Act. It is important to note that this Plan-Led system, with the State rather than commercial entities selecting appropriate development sites, is consistent with the approach to offshore wind development currently deployed throughout the EU. Practitioners of this plan-led approach to development site designation includes the Netherlands and Denmark, which are arguably the two EU countries with the most mature offshore wind sectors.

This decision to situate Ireland’s first offshore renewable energy DMAP off the South Coast reflects analysis carried out by Ireland’s transmission system operator, EirGrid, that there is sufficient current available onshore grid capacity to connect 900 MW of offshore wind capacity to the onshore transmission system along the South Coast. The establishment of a South Coast DMAP will therefore ensure that future offshore wind development is situated in proximity to the current availability of onshore grid capacity that will connect offshore wind generation to the onshore transmission system.

The initial proposed geographical area is approximately 8,600 square kilometres in size, extending from the High Water Mark on Ireland’s South Coast to the 80-metre depth contour and/or the edge of the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).