Highlights
- Project expected to generate up to 824MW of renewable electricity - enough to power 770,000 Irish homes.
- Dublin Array will establish a Community Benefit Fund to invest up to 6.5 million per annum in community initiatives and projects.
- Operations and maintenance base proposed for St. Michael's Pier, Dún Laoghaire.
Kish Offshore Wind Limited and Bray Offshore Wind Limited1 are due to imminently submit a planning application to An Bord Pleanála for the Dublin Array offshore wind farm, which will be located off the coast of counties Dublin and Wicklow. The Dublin Array project is a joint venture between RWE and Saorgus Energy with RWE leading the development of the project on behalf of the partnership.
Once fully constructed, Dublin Array would be capable of generating up to 824 megawatts (MW) of renewable electricity, which is enough energy to power the equivalent of approximately 770,000 typical Irish homes. The development of Dublin Array would play a key role in supporting Ireland to meet its Climate Action Plan, which aims to deliver 80% of total electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030. It would also support domestic energy generation, helping to reduce Ireland's need to import and burn fossil fuels for electricity.
The Dublin Array wind farm project would be located 10 kilometers off the coast of counties Dublin and Wicklow and have between 39 and 50 wind turbines.
Subject to obtaining planning permission and a financial investment decision, construction of Dublin Array could begin as early as 2027, with operations projected to start in 2030. The project is likely to require more than 800 full time equivalent roles during the construction phase, with approximately 80 people directly employed and 160 indirectly employed by Dublin Array over the longer term operational phase.
Dublin Array also proposes to deliver a Community Benefit Fund, worth up to 6.5 million per annum for 20 years2, with the first payments becoming available at the construction stage of the project. As with other RWE Community Benefits, decisions on how the funds can be spent would be made by a committee of local representatives who will be appointed by an independent fund administrator.
RWE has over 25 years of experience in delivering Community Benefit Funds, tailored to meet the individual needs of the different communities in which the company operates.
Vanessa O' Connell, RWE Renewables Ireland, Dublin Array Project Director said: "We have had extensive consultations and communications with stakeholders and local communities in recent years, this has been with the aim of keeping people informed about the project and to seek their views and inputs. RWE has a strong track record of working closely with communities in areas where we operate offshore wind projects, and that will also be the case with Dublin Array."
Paul Kelly, RWE Renewables Ireland, Consents Lead said: "The submission of our planning application is a very significant milestone for Dublin Array and for the Irish renewable energy sector. RWE has been the lead developer on this project since 2019 whose work has involved extensive site surveying, scientific and engineering assessment, public and stakeholder consultation all of which will enable us to deliver the most sustainable design for the project."
Comprehensive environmental surveys and assessments have been at the core of the development of the Dublin Array project, which are described in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR), that forms an important part of the planning application.
The proposed location for the Dublin Array operational base would be in Dún Laoghaire Harbour, with a new facility being located on St. Michael's Pier adjacent to the ferry terminal building. Locating the operational base in Dún Laoghaire would have a significant financial impact across the Greater Dublin Area, as it would generate an estimated 450 million to 6503 million in regional expenditure over the lifetime of the wind farm.
Continuing its commitment to locally based jobs in Dún Laoghaire, RWE recently opened its new office in Harbour Square to act as its base for offshore wind development in Ireland, this includes 27 Irish-based employees working on the development of Dublin Array.
The planning application for Dublin Array also includes the proposed construction of a new substation at Jamestown, Dublin 18, which will connect the electricity generated by the Offshore wind farm into the national electricity transmission system at the existing substation in Carrickmines, Dublin 18.
Dublin Array was granted a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) for the wind farm in late 2022, a key requirement in order to submit a planning application to An Bord Pleanála. In addition, the project was successful in Ireland's first Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) auction in May 2023 and has a grid connection offer from EirGrid.
All planning documents can be viewed on www.dublinarray-marineplanning.ie from March 10th.
In Ireland, RWE currently has four operational projects, including a wind farm in Dromadda Beg in Co Kerry, two battery storage facilities in Co Dublin and Co Monaghan and an Airborne Wind Test site in Co Mayo. The company also has renewable energy projects in different stages of development, including the Dublin Array wind farm and a further offshore wind project, 10 onshore wind farms and a further battery storage facility. RWE's objective is to be a long-term energy partner for Ireland during the country's transition to carbon neutrality.
