Plans for electricity plant and an offshore windfarm
PLANS for a huge windfarm off the Sligo coast and a plant which would produce electricity and heating from biomass in Sligo town have been revealed. A company is looking at the possibility of developing a massive off-shore windfarm, with two arrays of turbines, one static and one floating. The static array could be between 10 to 22km out to sea, but the turbines will be visible from the Sligo coastline.
Another seperate company is to apply for planning permission for a “renewable energy development” at Finisklin, which will process wood biomass and produce power and district heating.
A PLAN for a major windfarm off the Sligo coast is currently being explored. The company behind the plan, Aniar Offshore Array, is looking at the possibility of developing two arrays of wind turbines, one static and one floating. The static array could be between 10 to 22 kilometres out to sea but the turbines will be visible from the Sligo coastline. It will cover an area of approximately 125 square kms.
The floating array would be further out to sea, within a range of around 14 to 33 kms off the coast envisaged and comprising an area of approximately 180 square kms.
The company does not state how many turbines will be involved but an image on their website shows 62 turbines for the static array and 50 for the floating turbines.
It is suggested that each of the arrays would have the potential to produce approximately 500 megawatts of electricity.
That is 20 times more that the Kingsmountain windfarm in the Ox Mountains which SSE Renewables says can power 16,500 homes.
Recently Aniar Offshore Array sent letters to fishermen in Sligo and Donegal outlining their plans and seeking their views.
The company describes the project as “a renewable energy development off the north-west coast of Ireland”.
They describe themselves as “a forward thinking Irish collective dedicated to the development of the offshore wind potential of our island”.
Their website states: “The renowned force of our westerly winds provides us with an effective renewable energy source and our aim is to capture this power and bring it home to you.
“By supporting Aniar Offshore Array, an Irish owned project, we can reduce our reliance on fossil fuel and create a clean, renewable and resilient energy resource to support Irish growth, in turn improving the environment and creating a better world for future generations.” The company say it is “preparing to investigate the feasibility of developing an offshore windfarm off the coast of Sligo/Leitrim/Donegal”.
They say that to carry out the necessary survey work, they have submitted a “foreshore investigatory licence application” and supporting documentation to the Marine Planning and Foreshore Section of the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. This licence, if granted, will last five years. The company say that upon completion of all survey works, they may decide to progress to a lease application stage with the intention of developing the array of turbines.
If the project continues to that point, the company will then adopt a phased approach to development, with phase one being the static turbines and phase two the floating array.
The company say that the project is “currently in the planning stages and is, therefore, subject to change”.
“The application for a Foreshore Investigatory Licence is not a development application.
“If granted, this licence will allow the project team to further refine the site choice and to carry out surveys considered necessary to properly assess the viability of the project across a spectrum of technical, environmental, social and economic factors,” their website states. The extent of the investigation area within which surveys are to be conducted is 1,162.26 square kms. The investigation area outlined shows one boundary line running along the Sligo coastline but excluding an area of a section of the north Sligo and extending out beyond Inishmurray island.
The company say that the investigation area “is appropriately described as the ‘investigation area’ because it is the area within which Aniar Offshore Array seeks to conduct all investigations appropriate for developing a wind farm proposal”.
“The investigation area is not to be taken to be, or to represent, any actual wind farm site, and it must be understood that no structural development of any nature will take place at this stage of the project,” the website states.