| Work Detail |
Offshore wind developer Corio Generation has submitted a planning application for the 450MW Sceirde Rocks wind farm off the western coast of Ireland. The application seeks consent for a proposed development of 30 turbines, which could have a maximum tip height of up to 325m and would be sited between 5 km and 12 km from the nearest mainland point. Subject to consent being granted, construction is currently expected to begin in 2026 with first generation of electricity from 2030. The consent request is supported by a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment Report and a Natura Impact Statement that detail how the project might affect the natural environment as well as an array of appropriate mitigations. The wind farm will contribute to Ireland’s target of sourcing 80% of the nation’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030. As well as providing enough renewable electricity to power up to 350,000 homes, Sceirde Rocks Windfarm will contribute around €3.5m per year to the local community, for a period of 20 years, amounting to a total €70m in expected investment from the start of construction. In the long term, the Sceirde Rocks wind farm, which is set to be the first offshore wind farm on the Irish west coast – with the other five being on the east coast, has the potential to establish Connemara as a critical offshore wind hub for the west of Ireland. Sceirde Rocks is being developed by Corio Generation through the Irish and Gaeltacht-based company Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta. FST is a joint venture owned by Corio Generation, a portfolio company of Macquarie Asset Management, and global infrastructure investor Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. |
