Representatives of almost 100 businesses attended the first Supplier Engagement Day for the proposed 824MW Dublin Array offshore wind farm.
RWE Renewables is developing the site approximately 10km off the coast of counties Dublin and Wicklow.
Attendees, speakers and company representatives shared insights on how Ireland can grow its offshore supply chain, with both established suppliers and those who hope to move into the rapidly growing sector in Ireland in attendance.
A new Dublin Array supplier engagement platform was launched at the event, part of RWE’s Supplier Transparency & Engagement Programme (STEP) initiative.
Once fully operational, the project will consist of between 39 and 50 wind turbines, located on the Kish and Bray banks off the Irish coast.
This would be enough energy to supply the equivalent of around 770,000 typical homes, and could help reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions by more than 1.4m tonnes per year.
The project was successful in Ireland’s first Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction earlier this year and will be one of the first offshore wind farms to be constructed under the scheme.
Dublin Array project director Peter Lefroy said: “This was a really exciting event, bringing together almost 100 businesses and highlighting the huge opportunities the emerging offshore industry in Ireland can bring to local communities.
“We had a fantastic mix of attendees and some really excellent speakers, including a number of Irish suppliers that are already actively working in the offshore wind industry. The conversations our team had will prove invaluable as we look to ensure Ireland taps into the benefits of this new industry.”