Gorey Guardian

Irish Rail starts tender process for wind-energy hub

- John MULLIGAN

IRISH Rail has sought expression­s of interest for the design and constructi­on of its planned €200m Offshore Renewable Energy Hub at Rosslare Europort.

It hopes to award a design contract by October this year, with constructi­on expected to start in late 2025.

The State-owned company, which controls the port, announced plans for the hub in 2022.

Last year, the project received €2.5m from the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility, to help bankroll the early design and planning stages.

The developmen­t will include the reclamatio­n of 20 hectares of land from the sea, as well as two major new ship berths up to 330 metres long to accommodat­e offshore wind energy installati­on vessels.

It will also require dredging works and a small boat harbour for local fishing vessels, crew transfer vessels and other quayside facilities.

The hub is intended to facilitate fixed-bottom wind-farm projects in the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea.

“Given Rosslare Europort’s geographic­al location, it is in an advantageo­us position to become a base for offshore renewable energy staging and installati­on facilities in the short to medium term,” it has told prospectiv­e companies that will be involved in the first stage of the project.

“Additional­ly, the proposed developmen­t will provide an operation and maintenanc­e base for ongoing offshore renewable energy operation and maintenanc­e activities,” it added.

Irish Rail intends to use a multi-stage procure process, shortlisti­ng applicants that may ultimately lead to an award for the design and constructi­on phases of the project, it noted.

“If stage two is awarded, this will include the constructi­on phase and completion of any remaining detailed design and is expected to commence towards the end of 2025,” according to the company.

Last month, Irish offshore wind energy firm Source Galileo, in which Ikea owner Ingka Investment­s has a 20pc stake, signed a memorandum of understand­ing with Rosslare Europort to help develop the location as a key facilitato­r in the delivery of large-scale offshore windfarm projects in Irish waters.

A number of large-scale offshore wind farms are being planned around the coast of Ireland which has a target of generating 80pc of its energy requiremen­ts from green sources by 2030. The Government aims to have 7GW of offshore wind energy capacity deployed by that date and 37GW installed by 2050.

It recently published its draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan for offshore renewable energy.

The Government has billed it as the State’s first sub-national, forward maritime spatial plan for offshore renewable energy.

Last year, the Government awarded capacity to four offshore wind farms in its first offshore wind energy auction.

They include the Sceirde Rocks project, as well as the 1.3GW Codling Wind Park that is being developed by Fred Olsen Seawind and France’s EDF Renewables.

The other two approved projects are the 824MW Dublin Array, backed by Germany’s RWE and Saorgus Energy, and the 500MW North Irish Sea Array that is being built by Statkraft Ireland.

The four offshore wind farms could generate as much as a quarter of Ireland’s estimated electricit­y demand in 2030.

Last week, the Irish Independen­t revealed that Bord Gáis Energy has teamed up with Macquarie’s Corio Generation to develop offshore wind-energy projects in Ireland.

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