Wedoany.com Report-Jan 17, Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta (FST), a joint venture owned by Corio Generation and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, has submitted a consent application for Sceirde Rocks Windfarm to Ireland’s planning authority, An Bord Pleanála. The developer says the project is the first offshore wind farm proposed for Ireland’s west coast as the five other projects currently proposed for development are all situated off the eastern coastline.

The 450 MW Sceirde Rocks is one of the four projects the Irish government selected in the first offshore wind auction under the country’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS 1) in May 2023, the other three being the 1,300 MW Codling Wind Park, the 824 MW Dublin Array, and the 500 MW North Irish Sea Array (NISA). At the end of that year, FST completed geophysical and metocean surveys that informed the now-submitted planning application.

The application seeks consent for a 450 MW offshore wind farm comprising 30 wind turbines, which would be sited between 5 and 12 kilometres from the nearest mainland point.

The consent request is supported by a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS) that detail how the project might affect the natural environment as well as an array of appropriate mitigations, Corio said in a press release on 16 January.

Construction is expected to be launched as soon as next year, subject to consent being granted, with Sceirde Rocks Windfarm generating first electricity from 2030.

“The project team has worked tirelessly over almost three years on surveying, data analysis and community engagement activity in order to produce this comprehensive application. We look forward to a positive outcome and to contributing to Ireland’s green energy transition for many years to come”, said Tim Coffey, Head of Ireland at Corio Generation.

According to Corio, the 450 MW Sceirde Rocks would provide enough renewable electricity to power up to 350,000 homes and would contribute an estimated EUR 3.5 million per year to local community initiatives for 20 years. This would go through a dedicated Community Benefit Fund amounting to a total of EUR 70 million in expected investment from the start of construction, in addition to the EUR 150,000 of support provided by the project to local community initiatives since 2023.

“Sceirde Rocks Windfarm is a landmark project for County Galway and for the nation of Ireland. As the first offshore wind project proposed for Ireland’s west coast it can pave the way for major long-term investment in green energy technology and infrastructure in the west of the country – boosting local economies, supporting the energy transition and helping rural and coastal communities to thrive”, said Tim Coffey.