Ireland can be at the heart of Europe’s energy transition

Seán Kelly, MEP for Ireland South, will host a high-level online conference entitled “Powering up Europe: Ireland’s offshore wind potential,” in the European Parliament, in partnership with SSE, Ireland’s largest generator of wind power on Tuesday, 26th September (from 9am Irish time). This gathering of industry leaders and policymakers will address the pivotal role Ireland can play in the European Union’s transition to a greener and more sustainable energy future.

Kelly stressed the significance of Ireland’s contribution to the EU’s climate and energy targets, stating, “The EU is currently undergoing an ambitious systemic change in how we produce, consume and store energy. Although this will mean fundamental changes for Ireland, we also have the opportunity to be at the very heart of Europe’s energy transition.

“Ireland’s extensive coastline and strong winds present us with a unique advantage in harnessing clean and renewable energy sources. By scaling up our offshore wind capacity, we can not only contribute substantially to our domestic energy needs but also play a pivotal role in helping the EU meet its ambitious climate and energy targets.”

However, Kelly also highlighted the need for expediency: “We still face major barriers to getting projects to the generation phase, most notably the extensive time taken for projects to get approved. This must be addressed immediately if we are to stay on track. This means simply more skilled personnel and more resources to planning authorities so that we can reduce the unnecessary significant delays.”

Alistair Phillips-Davies, CEO of SSE, reiterated Ireland’s potential as an offshore wind hub, emphasising that with the right policies and infrastructure, Ireland can power Europe’s energy and climate goals. “Ireland has a vast renewable energy potential and significant ambition to be a global leader in offshore wind. Today’s discussion in the European Parliament highlighted that with the right policies and infrastructure in place delivered through cooperation across the EU and through the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) initiative, Ireland can become an offshore wind hub, powering Europe’s energy and climate goals,” said Phillips-Davies.

The event also addressed the European Union’s ambitious 2030 climate and energy targets, emphasising the importance of tapping into the vast renewable energy resources across the North Seas. Ireland’s aim to achieve 37GW of offshore wind by 2050 presents a significant opportunity for both Ireland and Europe, provided coordinated infrastructure and market plans are in place.

As Europe strives to meet its climate objectives, events like “Powering up Europe” highlight the potential for Ireland to lead the way in offshore wind energy, contributing to a sustainable and resilient energy future for the continent.

The event will take place on Tuesday, September 25, from 10am – 12 noon CET (9am-11am Irish time) in the European Parliament (ASP 3E-2) and will be live streamed on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxtW0A7W8jM

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