Irish marine regulator the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) has published its competitive framework for offshore wind leasing.
The framework is intended to complement Ireland’s plan-led approach to offshore renewable energy development and to support national climate and energy targets, MARA said.
The authority added that the award of consents for future development within the South Coast offshore wind zone may be determined in line with the timing, methodology and processes set out under the new structure.
The Competitive MAC Framework has been developed with support from Baringa and is informed by international best practice and consultation with stakeholders. In Ireland, offshore wind leases are known as MACs.
Its flexible, site-specific design will allow MARA to apply appropriate criteria and weightings for individual allocation rounds to support efficient and transparent decision-making, the regulator said.
During the initial design phase, key elements were identified and a range of options developed for each, drawing on global experience and Ireland’s policy and regulatory context.
As the process progressed, preferred options were refined through stakeholder engagement to ensure alignment with industry priorities and public policy objectives.
“The publication of our Competitive MAC Framework represents an important milestone for offshore renewable energy in Ireland,” said chief executive Laura Brien.
“It provides a transparent, flexible and robust approach to the allocation of Maritime Area Consents for offshore wind projects within DMAPs, supporting sustainable development while recognising the distinct characteristics of individual sites.
“Engagement with stakeholders has been central to shaping this framework, and we are confident it will play a key role in enabling the delivery of offshore wind projects in line with Ireland’s climate ambitions.”