Minister Ryan launches ‘Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy’

Future Framework outlines Ireland’s biggest industrial opportunity for decades. Strategy provides a roadmap for Ireland to deliver 37GW of offshore wind by 2050.

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, today launched the Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy, which is Ireland’s most exciting industrial opportunity for decades.

The Future Framework is the long-term model and vision for offshore renewable energy (ORE) in Ireland. The policy sets out the pathway Ireland will take to deliver 20GW of offshore wind by 2040 and at least 37GW in total by 2050. Critically, it also provides the evidence base for Ireland’s ambitious ORE targets.

The Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy is one of the key actions published today under the Offshore Wind Energy Programme, the system-wide plan developed by the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce. The publication of another key action of the Taskforce, the draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP), will be announced by Minister Ryan this Friday, 3 May. Ireland’s Offshore wind programme is progressing to plan, meeting each of its three-phased objectives and timelines.

The Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy includes 29 key actions to develop Ireland’s long-term, plan-led approach to offshore wind. It is built on an analysis of economic opportunities to encourage investment and maximise the financial and economic return of offshore renewable energy to the State and local communities. It also explores the potential to export excess renewable energy through increased interconnection, and analyses opportunities for using excess renewable energy for alternative energy products and services that can be fed into international markets.

The guiding principles of the policy include the protection of maritime environment and biodiversity, affordability of energy for consumers, an equitable return to communities, alignment of policy and infrastructure, inspiring confidence for investment, emphasising technological innovation, illuminating opportunities for return to the state and prioritising stakeholder and public engagement.

Renewable energy projects are poised to revolutionise our economy, offering significant regional and national economic benefits while giving us more control over our energy sovereignty. Our offshore wind energy is potentially the largest domestic source of electricity that can replace volatile, imported fossil fuels. It also gives us our most exciting industrial opportunity for decades as we plan to not only power our own country, but export our excess energy to power Europe.

Going to our Atlantic Ocean is not something that can happen overnight. The technology needed to harness the Atlantic’s enormous potential is still being developed globally. But, this strategy provides our planned, evidenced-based approach to realising our energy potential, and we will ensure that Ireland’s West Coast is on the cutting edge of this development.
Eamon Ryan
Minister for Environment, Climate and Communication

The publication of the Future Framework for Offshore Renewable Energy follows a five-week period of public consultation that took place earlier this year. The policy is available on the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications website.

To learn more about the framework, click here.