Ocean Winds has hosted a fact-finding mission for Irish Oireachtas members to give them a first-hand experience of its 950MW Moray East offshore wind farm in Scotland.
Ocean Winds is operating, building and developing five offshore wind projects in Scotland, which are Moray East (950MW), Moray West (882MW), Caledonia (up to 2GW), plus two new floating projects east of the Shetland Islands (2.3GW).
Dan Finch, Country Manager for Ocean Winds in Ireland, said: “We were delighted to host the members of the Joint Committee on the Environment and Climate Action and give them an in-person tour of the facilities at Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, in Scotland.
“We are working on the long term to shape the offshore wind industry in Scotland, and we do so hand in hand with local industry and communities.
“In Ireland, Ocean Winds has committed itself to developing a long-standing presence and to help support the country’s clean energy ambitions through the development of wind power facilities that can deliver renewable energy to fuel Irish businesses and communities.
“By reducing Ireland’s reliance on gas and oil it will also help safeguard Irish communities from global energy price fluctuations.”
Brian Leddin TD, Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, added: “We know that Ireland possesses enormous climatic and geographic advantages when it comes to generating offshore wind energy.
“The Committee members were delighted to see an offshore wind farm of this nature in full operation, to learn more about the infrastructure unpinning such a development and to understand the community involvement in such projects.
“It is important to take away some of the Scottish offshore experience as we look forward to the establishment Ireland’s maritime regulator, MARA, next year.”