LIMERICK IN MOTION
LIMERICK IN MOTION
Taming the Wild Atlantic for Renewable Energy While you might have cursed the wind the last time it blew your bins down the street, opportunities abound for the Mid West region when it comes to transforming the power of that natural resource into renewable energy. As Pat Keating, CEO of Shannon Foynes Port Company explained, “There’s always wind on the Atlantic, it’s a massive resource to have and it’s on our doorstep.” Keating explained that floating wind farms will provide a boon for the region when it comes to investment, job creation, and technology leadership. This type of offshore wind farm will also produce more than ten times the energy needs for the island of Ireland, allowing energy to be sold into European markets as well. Additionally, wind energy can be converted into liquified hydrogen and ammonia, which are already used as alternative energy sources for public transport options. “Producing alternative fuels such as hydrogen or ammonia on the Shannon Estuary, that is seen globally as a huge potential to decarbonize public transport,” Keating said, “It’s a huge resource just off the Atlantic that can give us green energy in spades.”
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The government will, however, need to update planning regulations, as planning applications cannot currently be submitted if the location is farther than 12 nautical miles offshore. As ESB recently announced a €5bn investment into a floating offshore wind farm and green hydrogen plant at Moneypoint in Co. Clare, a coordinated strategy is needed to ensure the country can capitalise on the opportunities for more investment. The Chamber is pushing for the establishment of the Shannon Estuary Task Force and has already put forward a submission to Eirgrid on ‘Our Electricity Future’. As offshore wind energy developments move forward, the Chamber has expressed the opinion that, in order to achieve
maximum economic benefit, the necessary supply chain must be developed in the region and further investment will be required. “In a recent meeting with the Tánaiste we asked for a time line for the announcement of the Shannon Estuary Task force and expect to hear by the end of the summer. This group will play an important role in the sustainable economic development of the Mid West,” said Dee Ryan, Limerick Chamber CEO. In addition to the development of offshore wind and other renewable energy projects, the Chamber expects to see knock-on sectors emerge, such as green energy data centres, which will allow the region to directly benefit from developing offshore wind farms.
There’s always wind on the Atlantic, it’s a massive resource to have and it’s on our doorstep. CEO of Shannon Foynes
Port Company Pat Keating
