POWERING CHANGE OFFSHORE
Just over 20 years since the first offshore wind turbines were installed off County Wicklow, SSE Renewables is poised to invest in the next generation of Arklow Bank Wind Park to help secure Ireland’s energy future.
The natural sandbank at Arklow Bank off Wicklow’s coast has played a pivotal role in the narrative of offshore wind energy in Ireland. It is now just over two decades since the first seven turbines at Arklow Bank were powered up, marking delivery of the first ever offshore wind farm in Irish waters. Back in 2004, there were great hopes for the dawn of a new offshore wind revolution in Ireland, but that hope stalled as policy pivoted instead to prioritising the delivery of onshore wind energy in Ireland, which has proven to be a success story in its own right.
In that time, while SSE Renewables grew its onshore wind farm portfolio here, it also retained its ambitions for delivery of the next phase of offshore wind at Arklow Bank. Now, 20 years later, SSE Renewables is poised to invest in the next generation of Arklow Bank Wind Park to help secure Ireland’s energy future. The project, one of the so-called ‘Phase One’ set of offshore wind farm projects planned for early delivery, is at an advanced development stage.
PROJECT MILESTONE
“We believe it’s time to power up Arklow, turning our ambition into action,” says James O’Hara, Project Director for Arklow Bank Wind Park 2. “At SSE Renewables, we’re committed to the delivery of Arklow Bank Wind Park 2. Our dedicated team of over 50 professionals, many of whom are locally based in Arklow, Wicklow, and North Wexford, have been diligently preparing for the next major project milestone, submission of our application for the offshore planning consent.”
Several key milestones have already been accomplished, including obtaining two out of three planning consents. In 2022, An Bord Pleanála granted permission for the onshore grid infrastructure which will connect the project to Ireland’s electricity transmission grid. Wicklow County Council also granted consent in 2022 for the development of an operations and maintenance facility at the South Dock in Arklow. This new purpose-built operations and maintenance base will facilitate service and maintenance throughout the offshore wind farm’s lifespan and will support around 60-80 fulltime jobs in the local area.
The forthcoming submission of the third and final planning consent for the offshore infrastructure to An Bord Pleanála signifies a major project milestone. Should SSE Renewables secure this final planning consent, the company
will be poised to be able to make a Final Investment Decision to green light construction of the project. Works are targeted to commence in 2026/27 and first power would be anticipated in 2029, contributing to Ireland’s 2030 climate target of at least 5GW of offshore wind.
ECONOMIC BENEFIT
James O’Hara says project delivery will have a notable impact on Wicklow and Wexford. “We’re ready to invest in the next generation of Arklow Bank Wind Park. We estimate that in doing so, delivery of Arklow Bank Wind Park 2 will generate an economic benefit of up to €800 million. With over €400 million of this amount being localised to the Wicklow and Wexford areas, the project will also be supporting up to 2,300 jobs throughout the lifetime of the project from development through to decommissioning. This project will not only deliver substantial economic benefit and job opportunities for the local community but also contributes national climate action targets.
“We are proud to play our part in the Government’s vision of reaching at least 5GW of offshore wind by 2030, as we collectively strive towards achieving a more environmentally