The Oriel Offshore Wind Farm project recently reached its latest milestone when the planning application was delivered to An Bord Pleanála’s offices in Dublin. RPS Energy delivered project management, planning, environmental assessment and appropriate assessment services on the project, which is Ireland’s first offshore wind planning application in over 20 years.

Jointly developed by Parkwind NV and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), Oriel is one of several renewable energy projects that is critical to Ireland’s decarbonisation and security of energy supply.

The project is located off the coast of County Louth to the east of Dundalk Bay, approximately 22km east of Dundalk town centre. 25 wind turbines will be developed, with the closest turbine located 6km from the Cooley Peninsula. It will have a maximum export capacity of 375 MW capable of powering approximately 300,000 households – significantly contributing to Ireland’s renewable energy targets.

Oriel also includes one offshore and one onshore substation and all the necessary offshore and onshore cables that are required for operation.

The wind farm was granted a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan T.D. in December 2022. This is a new type of state consent that is required to occupy a designated part of the maritime area. It must be granted before a project can apply for planning permission for development in the maritime area.

If planning is granted, construction could begin in 2025 and become operational in 2028. Based on these timelines, the project would become Ireland’s first operational commercial-scale offshore wind farm.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: RPS Energy