John Young, Head of Policy at SSE Airtricity, delivers a presentation on Offshore Wind Enablers and lessons from the GB experience. (Presentation delivered at the inaugural National Energy Research and Policy Conference in Dublin, Nov 2019)

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Offshore Wind
Enablers and lessons from the GB experience
November 2019
John Young, Head of Policy – Ireland

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The Offshore Transformation
Renewables with the capacity of large conventional power stations, in the sea
System Grid
CommunitiesInvestmentMarine Planning

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ONSHORE
(Optimistic
ally c4GW)
SOLAR
(Optimistically
c2GW)
GAP =
OFFSHORE
(c4GW)
Climate Action Plan (Jun 2019)
• Lists Specific, time-bound actions to ensure progress
• 2030 Renewable Energy target (RES-E) up from 55% to
70% (additional c10GW)
• At least 3.5 GW of offshore wind by 2030;
~1 GW of offshore capacity by 2025;
additional ~2.5 GW installed by 2030
• First Offshore Auctions Q2 2021
The Role of Offshore
EU Green New Deal - Could offshore
have an even bigger role to play?

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Why look at GB?
• Biggest Offshore Market in the World – 64 MW
in 2004, 6.9 GW now, +30 GW by 2030
• SSE have the largest offshore pipeline, building
the largest offshore wind farm in the world at
Dogger Bank
• Didn’t happen overnight – long lead times for
which we do not have the luxury…

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Supply chain confidence
“30 GW by 2030”
• Clear and ambitious targets, regular CfD rounds
• 2015, 2017, 2019 – every two years from then on
Ireland
Offshore specific RESS in 2021, 2022, 2024
• Delivery of RESS, with suitable volumes, vital in creating an offshore
industry in Ireland - competing on a global level with GB, USA, Taiwan
• Policy and legislation needs to progress to support
• Grid connections for early projects

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Marine Planning and Grid
Ireland
• Approach to zoning that enables offshore industry to reach potential
• Prioritise Marine Planning and Development Bill in Oireachtas to put
new consent regime in place in line with CAP commitments
• Point-to-point grid connections best approach for 2030
• Approach to marine planning and zoning
has evolved with the industry
• Initially developers were able to propose
sites for consideration
• Move toward ‘Renewable Energy Zones’
• Point-to-point grid connections

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Sector Deal
A partnership between the sector and the UK government which is an
ambitious, long-term strategy, in which offshore wind will become the
backbone of the UK’s power system, going from 8 to 30 GW+
The workstreams will solve the challenges to deliver;
• 30GW of UK electricity
• £48billion infrastructure
• £2.4billion a year total electricity system
costs reduction
• Increase in jobs from 11K to 27K
The workstreams will solve the challenges to deliver;

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Stakeholder Collaboration
Ireland
• Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) - senior level government
and industry interface forum
• Co-chaired by BEIS minister and industry leader. Formed 2013,
with 17 leading companies, supported by Renewables UK
• Stakeholders need to work together to deliver transformation
and put policy and regulatory framework in place
• Formalised like OWIC, where developers/projects sit at the table
and take on responsibilities for solving challenges
• Sector Deal looks to capitalise on existing industry and maximise
potential for further growth – needs an industry first however

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 Urgency need to begin delivery of Irish
offshore industry – CAP and RESS vital
Policy Needs
 Facilitative approach to grid and zoning that
enables establishment of the industry
 Formal stakeholder partnership to look at
challenges and benefits (e.g. OWIC model)

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Research SuggestionsResearch Suggestions
 Utilising the south and west
coast – floating offshore
 Communities
 O&M methods – safety, use
of digital models etc.