Powering a More Secure Future — From Our Own Seas

Ireland imports over three-quarters of its energy, most of it fossil fuels bought on volatile global markets.

But off our east coast, five major offshore wind projects are moving through planning right now. Together they could deliver clean, secure, homegrown electricity for generations to come.

No one owns the wind. It simply blows — and always will.

Why it matters

The Numbers Behind the Video

“Right now, Ireland imports over 80% of its energy, nearly all of it fossil fuels bought on global markets that we can't control.”

Since this video was scripted the latest report from the SEAI Ireland’s Energy Supply & Security of Supply 2025 has been published and energy imports are now at 78.2 per cent. Of these energy imports 92.8 per cent were fossil fuels.

“These East Coast projects have the potential to power the equivalent of every Irish home and more.”

The installed capacity of these projects is 3.8 GW.

Using the 45 per cent capacity factor set out in the terms and conditions for the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction this results in an anticipated annual generation of 14.98 GWh of electricity.

The CSO reports total residential electricity consumption for 2025 as 9.1 GWh.

“Coastal communities would see millions of euro a year invested in nearby villages and towns”

Under the terms and conditions of the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme successful participants must pay €2 per MWh of electricity produced into a community benefit fund.

For the three successful ORESS projects with a combined capacity of 3.1 GW this would translate to €24.4 million per annum. Arklow Bank and Oriel are not ORESS projects but will also have their own community benefit funds additional to this.

“and they displace enormous amounts of harmful CO2 every year.”

The SEAI estimates that every KWh of electricity in 2025 produced 197 grammes of CO2.

Using the 45 per cent capacity factor set out in the terms and conditions for the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme auction this results in an anticipated annual generation from the 3.8 GW for the east-coast projects of 14.98 GWh of electricity.

This would lead to avoided emissions of 2.96 million tonnes of CO2.

Total electricity emissions for Ireland in 2024 were 6.9 million tonnes.

“Together they could meet over half of Ireland's daily electricity demand.”

The installed capacity of these projects is 3.8 GW or 3,800 MW The record for peak demand on the Irish electricity system is 6,024 MW, set on 8 January 2025.