*Photograph: Páraic McMahon
MONEYPOINT intends to remain “a big employer” for Co Clare while the Tánaiste has acknowledged “impatience” on the progress made for offshore renewable energy on the west coast.
ESB in 2021 announced their future vision, Green Atlantic at Moneypoint, which will see the site redeveloped into a renewables hub which will include the commissioning of one of the largest Synchronous Condensors in the world, a 1,400 MW offshore wind farm, delivered in two phases, a wind turbine construction and service hub plus the development of green hydrogen production, storage and generation facility
In the transition period between 2025 and 2029, subject to planning approval, ESB intends to make Moneypoint available to operate in emergencies only, using oil rather than coal.
Equinor who had partnered with ESB on the Green Atlantic project withdrew in November 2021 citing local regulatory uncertainty. In 2022, energy giant Shell exited the Irish offshore wind energy market, having been working in partnership with Irish marine renewable energy developer, Simply Blue. Last June, ESB confirmed they would jointly develop with Ørsted an offshore wind energy farm portfolio off the west and east coast including Moneypoint.
Addressing the President’s Lunch of Ennis Chamber, Moneypoint station manager, Stevie O’Mahoney described offshore wind as “the real game changer”. The Doonbeg man started his career as an apprentice in Moneypoint in 1984. He said ESB were keen to have the designated maritime area plan (DMAP) proposal for offshore renewable energy off the west coast.
On their arrangement with Ørsted, he said, “we plan to bid competitively with Ørsted”. O’Mahoney added that it is their intention “to bring the powers to Moneypoint”. He pointed out that agreements have been reached to extend the life of the power station to 2029 and that the use of coal will cease next year.
“Offshore wind will come into Moneypoint but we have potential to have a lot of spin off industries, the evelopment of jetties, there is a masterplan to be put together and we hope to publish that by the end of this year,” Stevie continued. “Overall it is a really positive story, it is good Ireland has the energy off the west coast, we want to drive forward, everything happening in Moneypoint apart from it being good for ESB is very good for Co Clare, Moneypoint is a big contributor to the county, with god’s help it will be a big employer,” he concluded and said 300 employees have been taken on “in the last few years”.
Tánaiste, Micheál Martin (FF) who was the keynote speaker for the President’s Lunch told the event, “we are investing in onshore wind and we want to be leading in offshore”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, the Tánaiste when questioned about outdated wind energy guidelines which prompted both Equinor and Shell to withdraw from the Irish market, responded, “It’s not so much the guidelines but they want to see progress more quickly in the West Coast”.
Offering his explanation why the first DMAPS will commence on the east coast rather than the west, the Minister for Foreign Affairs outlined, “There was one ready on the east coast and we have got to get ahead with it. We’re going to develop east, south and the west, we have to but the key target is to get to very significant gigawatts by 2030, the two auctions on the east coast had to happen and they are well developed some of those, the DMAPS has to happen on this coast, we’re very committed to the Shannon Estuary, to Foynes and this whole area of the Mid-West into North Kerry in terms of wind because I think the renewables and digital is going to be the key to the future, this region is well placed but it is going to take time and it is not going to happen overnight.
“Companies are hustling for it and that is ongoing but there is still an awful lot of investment needed, the last auction we did was one of the most competitive in the world in price terms, there is a lot of interest in Ireland. We set up MARA, the maritime agency for planning for the whole offshore wind and maritime sector, we’ve resourced An Bord Pleanála significantly by 160 or 170 people and that had to be done, overall we’ve made a lot of progress but I take the impatience and I hear the impatience but it can’t be done overnight”.
