The Project

Celtic Horizon is a proposed offshore wind development located in the Celtic Sea off the south coast of Ireland. The project is currently in the early development stages and is aiming to be part of the Governments 5GW of offshore wind to be delivered as outlined in its Phase Two policy statement.

For further information on the Phase Two Policy Statement for Offshore Wind, please click the image to read.

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Project Timeline

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Project Need & Benefits

Climate

Economy & Jobs

Ireland’s Citizens / Householders

Local Communities

Project Updates & Current Status

Ocean Winds and Bord na Móna are proposing the development of an offshore wind farm located in the Celtic Sea, off the coast of counties Waterford and Wexford. We aim to deliver Celtic Horizon by 2030. Over the coming years, we will undertake site investigations to inform us in making an application to An Bórd Pleanála for planning consent and between the site investigations and planning application we will participate in a number of processes led by the Irish Government.

The following steps are involved:

The project is at an early stage of development, with a foreshore licence application submitted to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) on the 3rd June 2021. This Foreshore Licence is the permit required to conduct surveys and investigations of the marine area. If granted, we will then start conducting feasibility and environmental studies to further advance the project.

We will undertake extensive public consultation before and during the surveys and investigations to further inform our project team with feedback and knowledge from the local community and stakeholders.

Alongside public consultation and environmental studies, Ocean Winds and Bord na Móna will apply to the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA) for Maritime Area Consent (MAC) for the leasing of a marine estate area.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Ocean Winds (OW) is the result of a 2019 Joint Venture between EDP Renewables (EDPR) and ENGIE, two global leaders in the renewable and offshore energy industry. With over a decade’s experience in the offshore sector, and the combined expertise of both EDPR and ENGIE, Ocean Winds will bring a history of project deliverability and cost reduction to the emerging Irish offshore wind industry.

When EDPR and ENGIE combined their offshore wind assets and project pipeline to create OW in 2019, the company had a total of 1.5 GW under construction and 4.0 GW under development; OW has been adding rapidly to that portfolio and is now on a trajectory to reach the 2025 target of 5 to 7 GW of projects in operation, or construction, and 5 to 10 GW under advanced development. In 2022, OW’s offshore wind gross capacity already operating, contracted or with grid connection rights granted reaches 11.2 GW.
OW, headquartered in Madrid, is currently present in 8 countries, and primarily targets markets in Europe, the United-States and selected parts of Asia, from where most of the growth is expected to come.

Discover more: www.oceanwinds.com

Bord na Móna is a renewable energy and environmental services company, focused on delivering climate solutions and sustainable energy security for Ireland. We do this through renewable power generation, recycling, waste management, peatland restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Bord na Móna, a semi-state company, was established in 1934, in response to a national energy emergency, to develop the peatlands of Ireland, provide economic benefit for midland communities, and achieve security of energy supply. Transformed for the climate crisis today, Bord na Móna has transitioned its operations and diversified its services, through its Brown-to-Green strategy, to become Ireland’s leading climate solutions company.

Bord na Móna employs approximately 1,500 people and manages a land holding of over 80,000 hectares across the midlands of Ireland. With expertise and experience across a variety of climate solutions, including renewables, energy, carbon storage and sequestration and waste management, through various initiatives, including the Accelerate Green Programme, Bord na Móna is supporting local communities and businesses with Ireland’s transition to a green economy.

With a strategic ten-year ambition to invest over €1.6bn in renewable energy infrastructure and generating assets, including wind, solar, hydrogen, biomass and biogas, Bord na Móna is developing sustainable solutions that will lead Ireland towards a climate neutral future and help ensure the State delivers on its commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Discover more: www.bordnamona.ie

Ireland has a unique opportunity to develop a substantial and economically viable offshore wind industry with a maritime area approximately seven times its landmass, as well as optimum geographic and climatic conditions. The Irish Government has indicated its intention to reach the ambitious target of achieving 5GW of installed offshore wind capacity by 2030. 

OW is interested in playing a part in enabling Ireland to achieve its 2030 and wider Net Zero ambitions through Celtic Horizon. We believe that our background, expertise, strength and experience in delivering offshore wind projects will support the Irish economy to make best use of one of its most abundant resources.

Ireland, as a member of the EU, has committed to transitioning towards a carbon-neutral society by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement and the EU Green Deal. The current Programme for Government set a target for 80% of electricity to be from renewable sources by 2030 and for 5GW of offshore wind by 2030. This target was increased to up to 80% in the Climate Action Plan 2021. Celtic Horizon will make a valuable contribution towards achieving Ireland’s renewable energy and wider Net Zero ambitions.

Yes, a significant community benefit fund will be made available for local projects in communities closest to the proposed Celtic Horizon development. The value of the fund and the process for how it is allocated will be in line with the requirements set out in the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS).

A number of jobs, to be determined further advance the project and its final characteristics, will be created during the construction of the proposed development and during the operation and maintenance phase of the project. Indirectly, Celtic Horizon will create supply chain opportunities for contractors, consultants and service providers throughout the development and construction of the project.

The exact location of the Operation and Maintenance base has yet to be identified. This will be determined through feasibility, technical and environmental studies, in addition to the consideration of stakeholder feedback received during the public consultations.

The typical operational life of a wind turbine is 25-30 years. However, advancements in offshore wind technology and maintenance processes could mean that new wind farm developments will outlive the typical life cycle. 

As the project nears its end of life a decision will be made whether the wind farm will be decommissioned or new turbines will be installed, which will require a new planning application and development consent.
Preliminary Terrestrial Plan