SSE Renewables exploring new wind farm off Kerry coast
Credit: Sarah Collins | April 05 2023 | independent.ie ~~
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SSE Renewables is looking into building a large wind farm off the Co. Kerry coast.
The sister firm of Irish electricity provider SSE Airtricity said it was seeking an investigative foreshore licence to do survey work for a possible new offshore wind farm, near Tarbert.
The new offshore wind project could generate up to 1 gigawatt (or 1,000 megawatts) of renewable energy, SSE estimates.
It amounts to one-fifth of the offshore wind power the Government aims to develop by 2030.
“Our plans to develop an offshore wind project off the coast of Tarbert, Co. Kerry is a natural step forward in our renewables ambitions for Ireland,” said Martin Sweeney, SSE Renewables’ lead project manager.
“This will be our first project in the Atlantic Ocean.
“Pursuing development opportunities off the west coast is part of our long-term offshore wind strategy in Ireland. The selection of this site off the coast of Tarbert allows us to leverage SSE’s existing energy infrastructure in north Kerry and maximise the use of complementary technologies.”
Another SSE company, SSE Thermal, currently operates an oil-fired power station in Tarbert, on the Shannon Estuary, but the station is required to close at the end of this year to comply with EU climate rules.
SSE Thermal has provisionally secured 10-year agreements for two new sustainable biofuel power stations, one in Tarbert and the other in Co. Meath.
It says the plants will provide “flexible backup” for the Irish renewables sector.
It is SSE Renewables’ first licence application off the west coast of Ireland.
The company is also behind the Arklow Bank Wind Park off the coast of Wicklow, the Celtic Sea Array off the south coast and the Setanta Wind Park project, located off the north-east coast, which, combined, have the power to generate up to 4GW of power.
Arklow Bank is the country’s most advanced offshore wind farm, with a public consultation on its proposed 36-60 turbines currently underway.
SSE Renewables owns 567MW of onshore wind farms across the country, including Ireland’s largest wind park in Connemara, Co. Galway.
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