The new Labour government has hit the ground running on energy and climate action, announcing its plan to deliver zero carbon electricity by 2030 and accelerate the drive to net zero, writes Niamh Kenny, Project Director for North Channel Wind and Chair of the Renewable NI offshore committee.
Key elements of the plan include quadrupling offshore wind energy to 60GW by 2030, establishing the new, publicly owned £8.3 billion Great British Energy company to co-invest in clean energy projects, and creating a National Wealth Fund to invest in vital supporting infrastructure, and that was just week one.
This fearless vision for embracing the challenges of net zero and energy security in a way that maximises opportunities for growth and jobs, is something we can and should emulate here in Northern Ireland. We need to inject similar boldness and dynamism to ensure these new initiatives are implemented to the full in Northern Ireland and accelerate the benefits to our economy and environment.
Offshore wind can deliver these benefits at scale. The 2022 study The Clean Revolution: Powering NI’s Offshore Wind Industry found that 1.5GW of offshore wind energy could result in up to £1.9 billion spend with Northern Ireland suppliers over the wind farms’ lifetime, with up to £2.4 billion gross value added to the economy, and up to 32,400 full-time equivalent job years for Northern Ireland suppliers. Up to 49 million tonnes of CO2 would be offset, the equivalent of taking 1.2 million cars off the road. And with offshore, over 70 per cent of the job creation would be post construction, bringing long-term, sustainable opportunities.
The appetite amongst the local supply chain is there. At North Channel Wind, we had the pleasure of working with Invest Northern Ireland in 2023 to lead a delegation of local supply chain businesses and energy stakeholders to Marseille to explore offshore wind trade opportunities. We saw the floating platforms being assembled for France’s first floating offshore wind farm – Provence Grand Large – which were designed, built and installed by North Channel Wind’s owner SBM Offshore. In June 2024, we led a return visit to view the installed turbines out in the Mediterranean. This is our goal with North Channel Wind, to bring offshore wind to Northern Ireland, delivering on climate action, energy security, positive net environmental gain, and economic opportunities. Indeed, given its enviable wind and wave climate, Northern Ireland could become a European leader in commercial scale floating offshore wind, if we move quickly.
The drive for offshore wind in Northern Ireland is being led by DfE’s Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan (OREAP), which currently contains a target for 1GW of offshore wind from 2030, and contains the various actions needed to enable delivery. As consenting authorities for offshore and onshore developments respectively, DAERA, and DFI are also key departments, and a joined-up approach is essential. As is input from key stakeholder groups such as environmental, fishing and local communities, to ensure developments are nature positive and bring sustainable benefits to coastal communities.
The OREAP is welcome, but it must go further and faster. Whilst it would be a challenge to deploy Northern Ireland’s first offshore wind by 2030 – in time to meet our 80 per cent renewable electricity target, and the UK’s new zero carbon electricity target – we must be bold in our ambition. An accelerated OREAP would allow offshore wind to contribute to Northern Ireland’s second carbon budget (2028-2032). By the end of 2032, Northern Ireland needs to achieve a 48 per cent reduction on 1990 emission levels, which is hugely challenging in our agriculture-heavy economy. Energy needs to over-perform. Further, it would align with SONI’s Tomorrow’s Energy Scenarios, all of which include offshore wind generation from 2030.
Northern Ireland was previously a leader in renewable energy but has fallen behind in recent years due to lack of a market mechanism, planning delays, and lack of grid capacity. We need to ensure we seize the opportunity to level up with the rest of the UK through accelerating the OREAP and capitalising on the significant planned investments in renewable energy and decarbonisation outlined by the Government in Westminster.
North Channel Wind’s key priorities for government include:
• ensuring that Northern Ireland is a key beneficiary of the new energy and infrastructure investments and structures established by the Labour government, to kick-start our offshore wind industry and maximise opportunities for our supporting ports and infrastructure;
• a re-energised OREAP which accelerates offshore wind development, focused on the critical path timeline;
• a key enabler of this is a leasing round by The Crown Estate, which needs to award agreements for lease by the end of 2025;
• the target of 1GW from 2030 is unclear. A clear, timebound target will drive action, and give clarity and confidence to industry and stakeholders alike;
• offshore wind CfD auction with award process completed no later than 2027 to facilitate Financial Investment Decision for offshore projects by 2028; and
• a clear, timebound consenting process for offshore wind and its supporting onshore infrastructure. Planning delays are crippling the renewables industry and urgent action is needed. We need statutory time limits for all the consenting and regulatory steps, backed up by suitably resourced departments.
These measures are delivering elsewhere and can be replicated here. The new Labour administration means business when it comes to offshore wind and North Channel Wind is ready to be part of this energy revolution. It is essential that we accelerate the OREAP in order to fully exploit this golden opportunity for Northern Ireland.
Niamh Kenny is Project Director for North Channel Wind and Chair of the Renewable NI Offshore Committee. North Channel Wind is a prospective 1GW floating offshore wind development in the North Channel of the Irish Sea, owned by SBM Offshore.