Mayo senator’s off-shore wind claims ‘inaccurate’

THE Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, has pushed back on Senator Lisa Chambers’ recent claims about off-shore wind as being misinformed and inaccurate.

The European Parliament candidate claimed that the minister is impeding the progress of floating off-shore wind along the west coast.

Minister Ryan, who last week launched the Future Framework for Off-Shore Wind, which is the country’s evidenced based strategy for harnessing wind in the Atlantic Seas, as well as the new plan-led development for the south coast, said that the senator’s claims are ill-informed and that she is not giving an accurate assessment of what’s viable now.

“I would more than anyone love to see floating off-shore wind deployment today because that is our big opportunity, but I’m sorry, I have to inform some of our colleagues in government that it’s not yet commercial, it’s not yet technically available and it’s not viable today,” said Minister Ryan.

“To say to the west of Ireland, if only we had a minister who was willing to bet on that. That’s not giving an accurate assessment of what’s viable and what’s cost effective.

“It will be, and when it is, we will be ready. We have our evidenced-based strategy, we will continue with testing for off-shore floating along our west coast and working with other countries who are also working in this area.

“In the meantime, what we do have as a country is huge potential for fixed bottom off-shore wind along our east and south coasts. And that’s not just me or the department talking. That’s the leading players in the market, and I think they are correct. So, we will focus on fixed bottom first and we will absolutely be on the cutting edge, leading out on the potential for floating off-shore in our Atlantic seas.”