DP Energy and Iberdrola have appointed Irish consultancy Fehily Timoney and Company, together with Intertek and MarineSpace, to lead the production of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the 1GW Shelmalere offshore wind farm off the east coast of Ireland.
Fehily Timoney and Company will work as lead consultant alongside Intertek and MarineSpace as partner consultants.
The trio will deliver a full EIA to examine the potential impacts of the proposed development on the surrounding environment including sea, land and wildlife.
The appraisal to be set out in the EIA will look at the full project lifecycle from site investigations to construction and right through to operation and eventual decommissioning of the wind farm.
The assessmemnt will also report on potential impacts of the Shelmalere on other key receptors including commercial fisheries, fish ecology, landscape, seascape, cultural heritage, tourism, transport and aviation.
Shelmalere is currently in its early development stage, with ecology surveys underway and site investigation surveys being planned.
DP Energy consenting and environment manager Edwina White said: “A significant milestone has been achieved in the appointment of Cork-headquartered Fehily Timoney & Company as lead consultant tasked with delivering a robust environmental impact assessment for Shelmalere.
“We are delighted that the project will benefit from the expertise and experience offered by Fehily Timoney & Company, and that of their strong partners for this project, MarineSpace & Intertek.
“With this key appointment, we’re one step closer to the ultimate goal of delivering Shelmalere to help Ireland reach its climate targets.”
Iberdrola offshore development senior project manager Declan McMahon said: “Shelmalere has the potential to deliver substantial environmental and economic benefits for Ireland.
“The project is progressing well, and we are pleased to welcome the experience of Fehily Timoney and Company, MarineSpace and Intertek on to the team.”
Fehily Timoney and Company director Jim Hughes said: “This is a very important project for Fehily Timoney and Company, a wholly Irish owned engineering, scientific and planning consultancy.
“We look forward to growing our relationship with DP Energy and Iberdrola and lead a robust environmental assessment of the Shelmalere project with Intertek and MarineSpace.
“The project team brings a blend of local knowledge with extensive international experience in the offshore renewable energy sector.”