OBJECTIONS MAY SINK WIND PLANS

THE Government’s ambitious plan to have 80% of the country’s electricity generated from greener alternatives by the end of the decade is under threat from campaigners opposed to plans to build several offshore wind farms off the coast.

The development of offshore wind farms is a crucial plank of the Coalition’s plan to meet its renewable energy targets.

Wind farms are typically located 10km to 20km off the coast. The first and only operational offshore wind farm in Ireland, off the coast of Arklow in Co. Wicklow, produces enough energy to power 420,000 homes and offset 640,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, according to the SSE Ireland website.

Earlier this year the Irish Mail on Sunday revealed the Government is considering 71 separate plans to build offshore facilities in coastal waters.

But the Coalition has been urged not to allow a ‘gold rush’ of building offshore plants. Plans for a giant wind farm on the

Kish and Bray banks – known as the Dublin Array – 10km off the east coast are generating significant opposition.

Environmental campaigners this weekend warned it is inevitable there will be objections to offshore wind.

Tony Lowes of Friends of the Irish Environment told the MoS: ‘It’s inevitable that offshore wind farms are going to conflict as we are committed to designating 30% of our waters as marine protection areas.

‘That is a commitment we have made… it’s a European-wide commitment so what is most important at an early stage is for the two sides to minimise the conflict.

‘Up to 30% of the 200km zone around the coast is to be designated as Marine

Protections Areas – 10% of it by 2025 and the remainder by 2030.

‘We want to meet that target to ensure the best protection is given to species and habitats while at the same time priority should be given to offshore renewable energy. But our fears are that the acceleration of offshore energy will outpace the conservation proposals.’

It is also likely that the controversies besetting An Bord Pleanála will further delay applications to build wind farms.

Mr Lowes added: ‘I can’t see how there wouldn’t be appeals to An Bord Pleanála. But where the delays will come from is not with the people appealing – the whole system is held down if the courts don’t work efficiently.

‘We’re 17 judges down in the High Court and An Bord

Pleanála has failed miserably to meet its timelines.’