Close Menu
  • Featured
    • News
    • Consumption
    • Environment
    • Industry
    • Opinion
    • Policy
    • Production
    • Storage
    • Transmission
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of the hydraulic system used in the construction of the Saqqara Step Pyramid, an artificial illustration.
“These Machines Built the Impossible”: Archaeologists Unveil Hydraulic System Powering Saqqara Pyramid Construction, Shattering Ancient Engineering Limits
Illustration of the internal chemistry of battery materials affecting energy flow, generated by artificial intelligence.
“These Hidden Hot Spots Hold the Key”: Scientists Uncover Secret Zones to Build Ultra-Durable EV Batteries, Triggering a Breakthrough in Car Longevity
Illustration of the ITER project’s boronization system for fusion plasma purification, generated by artificial intelligence.
“These Pipelines Are the Lifeline of Fusion”: ITER’s Half-Mile Boron Gas Network Set to Revolutionize Plasma Purity and Unleash Limitless Clean Energy
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
Energy Reporters
Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
Subscribe
  • Featured
  • News
    Illustration of a hydrogel-based iron-air battery developed for emergency energy solutions, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “These Batteries Don’t Quit—Even at -63°F”: China’s Breakthrough Iron-Air Technology Powers Phones and LEDs in Extreme Cold, Stunning Industry Leaders

    July 12, 2025 at 5:48 AM
    Illustration of the fleeting union of top quarks and their antimatter counterparts, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “We Caught Quarks in a Forbidden Embrace”: World’s Largest Atom Smasher Exposes Hidden Top Quark Pairings, Shocking Physicists and Redefining Particle Science

    July 11, 2025 at 4:57 PM
    Illustration of France's record-setting plasma reaction at the CEA WEST Tokamak reactor, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Unlocking the Sun’s Power”: France Stuns the World as Fusion Reactor Runs for 22 Mind-Blowing Minutes

    July 10, 2025 at 6:06 PM
    Illustration of a blockchain network designed to resist quantum computing threats, generated by artificial intelligence.

    Terrifying Power Unleashed: China Announces This Groundbreaking Blockchain That Promises to Make Quantum Cyberattacks Completely Obsolete Worldwide

    July 9, 2025 at 9:05 AM
    Illustration of an AI model named Centaur developed by Helmholtz Munich to mimic and predict human behavior.

    “I’ve Never Seen an Algorithm Do This”: Top Neuroscientist Stunned as This New AI Mirrors Every Human Thought and Unmasks Our Deepest Motivations

    July 9, 2025 at 8:00 AM
  • Use

    Trump’s Energy Policy: A Complicated Road Ahead

    December 24, 2024 at 3:28 PM

    World’s First Grid-Scale Nuclear Fusion Plant to Be Built in Virginia

    December 23, 2024 at 2:57 PM

    How West Africa can expand power supply and meet climate goals

    June 15, 2020 at 6:33 AM

    Saudi Aramco shares tumble amid price war 

    March 10, 2020 at 1:18 AM

    Generator supplier eyes renewables move

    March 5, 2020 at 5:36 AM
  • Climate
    Illustration of the hydraulic system used in the construction of the Saqqara Step Pyramid, an artificial illustration.

    “These Machines Built the Impossible”: Archaeologists Unveil Hydraulic System Powering Saqqara Pyramid Construction, Shattering Ancient Engineering Limits

    July 12, 2025 at 9:13 AM
    Illustration of the ITER project’s boronization system for fusion plasma purification, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “These Pipelines Are the Lifeline of Fusion”: ITER’s Half-Mile Boron Gas Network Set to Revolutionize Plasma Purity and Unleash Limitless Clean Energy

    July 12, 2025 at 6:45 AM
    Illustration of the SunRise building's record-breaking solar panel mural, highlighting its integration of art and renewable energy, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “We Painted the World’s Biggest Power Plant”: Giant US Solar Mural Turns 34,500 Square Feet of Wall Into a Dazzling Clean Energy Machine Overnight

    July 11, 2025 at 3:48 PM
    Illustration of lignin-based separators in lithium-ion batteries, highlighting their enhanced safety and sustainability, created by artificial intelligence.

    “Wood Film Makes Batteries Nearly Unbreakable”: US Scientists Unleash Breakthrough Tech That Boosts EV Safety and Extends Battery Life by a Stunning 60 Percent

    July 11, 2025 at 10:11 AM
    Illustration of advanced bifacial perovskite solar cells maintaining efficiency for over 83 days, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “These Solar Cells Refuse to Quit”: Breakthrough US Panels Maintain 80 Percent Output for Over 2,000 Hours, Redefining Renewable Energy Reliability

    July 11, 2025 at 8:48 AM
  • Industry
    Illustration of the construction of the world’s largest 3D-printed structure in Qatar, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “We Built a Megastructure From Desert Sand”: Qatar Unveils World’s Largest 3D Printed Landmark, Staggering Engineers and Redefining Sustainable Construction

    July 11, 2025 at 6:08 PM
    Illustration of the upcoming BMW i3 sedan built on the Neue Klasse platform, challenging Tesla in the electric vehicle market.

    “BMW Declares War on Tesla With This Electric Sedan”: The All-New i3 Launches Boldly to Challenge the Reign of the Model 3

    July 10, 2025 at 7:46 AM
    Illustration of China's first fully 3D-printed turbojet engine successfully completing its maiden flight, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They Said It Was Impossible”: Chinese Engineers Shock the World as 3D-Printed Jet Engine Soars to 13,000 Feet on Its First Flight

    July 9, 2025 at 3:52 PM
    Illustration of Westinghouse's role in the assembly of the ITER fusion reactor core. Image generated by AI.

    “These Engineers Hold the Future in Their Hands”: Westinghouse Begins Assembling the Heart of the World’s Largest and Most Powerful Fusion Reactor

    July 7, 2025 at 8:57 AM
    Illustration of the world's first integrated hydrogen production simulator within a Small Modular Reactor control room. Image generated by AI.

    “This Reactor Is a Game-Changer for America”: US Launches World’s First Nuclear Plant Producing Hydrogen, Triggering a New Era in Clean Energy

    July 7, 2025 at 7:49 AM
  • Opinion

    Pulling back the curtain on Turkey’s natural gas strategy

    September 1, 2020 at 5:59 AM

    How West Africa can expand power supply and meet climate goals

    June 15, 2020 at 6:33 AM

    Review: Oil and the Great Powers: Britain and Germany, 1914 to 1945

    June 9, 2020 at 5:40 AM

    Eastern Mediterranean gas: testing the field

    May 27, 2020 at 5:18 AM

    Energy geopolitics will hinge on the nationalism-globalism swinging door

    May 5, 2020 at 1:37 AM
  • Policy

    Trump’s Global Influence Wanes Amid Rising Foreign Policy Setbacks

    May 31, 2025 at 5:48 PM

    Glaciers in Crisis: Nearly 40% of Global Ice Mass is Already Lost

    May 24, 2025 at 4:52 PM

    iPhone Prices May Triple if Made in the U.S., Analyst Warns

    May 23, 2025 at 5:30 PM

    Labubu Craze: The Cute, Creepy Plush Toy Taking Over the World

    May 17, 2025 at 8:40 AM

    RFK Jr’s Vaccine Views Clash with Measles Outbreak Reality

    April 12, 2025 at 10:49 AM
  • Output
    Illustration of the world’s first integrated hydrogen production simulator within a Small Modular Reactor control room, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “The Future Is Here, and It’s Terrifying”: World’s First Hydrogen-Generating Nuclear Reactor Launches in the US, Sparking Global Energy Revolution

    July 9, 2025 at 7:01 AM

    Billionaire Backlash Grows Against Trump’s Aggressive Tariff Plans

    May 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM

    McDonald’s Sees Worst Sales Since 2020 Amid Uncertainty

    May 1, 2025 at 8:23 AM

    Europe’s Economic Rebound Stalls as U.S. Tariffs Cast a Shadow

    April 30, 2025 at 5:34 PM

    US and South Korea Strengthen Naval Ties with New Shipbuilding Agreement

    April 9, 2025 at 5:38 PM
  • Storage
    Illustration of the internal chemistry of battery materials affecting energy flow, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “These Hidden Hot Spots Hold the Key”: Scientists Uncover Secret Zones to Build Ultra-Durable EV Batteries, Triggering a Breakthrough in Car Longevity

    July 12, 2025 at 8:10 AM
    Illustration of a quantum battery device developed by RMIT University researchers, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Australia Just Changed Batteries Forever”: Quantum Tech Unleashed With 1,000 Times the Life, Leaving Global Energy Giants Reeling in Shock

    July 11, 2025 at 8:02 AM
    Illustration of lithium-sulfur batteries revolutionizing electric vehicle charging times, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “We’ve Ended Range Anxiety Forever”: US Engineers Reveal EV Battery That Delivers a Complete Charge in Just 12 Minutes, Disrupting the Auto Industry Overnight

    July 11, 2025 at 5:48 AM
    Illustration of a cutting-edge aqueous organic redox flow battery demonstrating enhanced stability and efficiency, generated by artificial intelligence.

    Breakthrough Confirmed: New Water Battery Technology Achieves 220 Full Cycles With Absolutely No Drop in Performance or Energy Storage

    July 9, 2025 at 6:08 PM
    Illustration of an innovative aqueous organic redox flow battery design highlighting zwitterion-modified NDI derivatives. Image generated by AI.

    “This Battery Breaks Every Rule”: Scientists Unveil Groundbreaking Water Battery That Delivers 220 Full Cycles With Zero Capacity Loss or Performance Drop

    July 6, 2025 at 3:52 PM
  • Grid
    Illustration of a TGV train equipped with satellite internet technology, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Elon Musk Promises to End France’s TGV Wi-Fi Nightmare”: Starlink Solution Set to Transform Train Travel With Blazing Internet Speeds

    July 10, 2025 at 8:53 AM

    Australian grid struggles with renewables boom: report

    February 24, 2020 at 5:32 AM

    Scottish eco-tariff exposes UK ‘greenwashing’ con

    February 18, 2020 at 2:31 AM

    Lukashenko attacks Russian merger demands

    February 16, 2020 at 4:53 AM

    Probe launched into UK’s Italian-made power cable

    January 29, 2020 at 8:37 PM
Energy Reporters

Ireland hopes to copy Hywind 

Eirwen WilliamsEirwen WilliamsJuly 20, 2018 at 12:03 PM0
Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link

Ireland’s Atlantic coastline has some of Europe’s most powerful waves, but the republic has so far been incapable of harnessing that potential for electricity generation. 

In Scotland, the five floating Hywind turbines anchored off Peterhead in the North Sea coped with Storm Ophelia’s recorded wind speeds of 125kmh and 160kmh during Storm Caroline in early December 2017.

The 30-megawatt project, developed by Norwegian energy firm Equinor and Abu Dhabi’s Masdar, is the world’s first floating wind farm. In its first three months, it generated 65 per cent of its “maximum theoretical capacity”. That means Hywind operated at 100-per-cent capacity for 65 per cent of the time. 

This compared to 45 per cent to 60 per cent for a conventional, bottom-fixed offshore wind farm during the winter months. 

Ireland’s Atlantic coast has large areas of water deeper than 60 metres and shallower than 150 metres, making it suitable for a Hywind-style project. 

Floating turbines can work in deeper and windier waters, further from communities, but they require large mooring systems which can restrict navigation and fishing.

Ireland has one fixed offshore wind farm, the SSSE Renewables Arklow Bank, and three others are being constructed off the east coast. But floating wind farms give much higher returns than fixed counterparts, according to Patricia Comiskey of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). 

“We have an excellent resource,” Comiskey said. “Our grid accessibility right out to the coast is quite strong compared to western Scotland and France.”

Equinor and other firms have expressed an interest, she added. 

There is a full-scale Irish ocean energy test site at Annagh Head in County Mayo, which has begun to investigate floating wind turbines.

The Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site has a quarter-scale testing site in Galway Bay, managed by the Marine Institute with the SEAI. A new foreshore lease for the site is the subject of a judicial review.

SEAI said offshore wind appeared to be “most immediate” means to meet Ireland’s 2030 renewable energy targets of 32 per cent set by the European Union. 

Land turbines 

On land, the turbine manufacturing Nordex Group said it hit its 1-gigawatt milestone in Ireland, following a new order last month. 

The firm said it had achieved a 30-per-cent market share in the country.

Nordex’s boss in Ireland Nigel Hayes said: “The key to our success in Ireland is having the right product solutions to deal with a broad range of challenges. 

“No two sites are the same, with highly variable planning envelopes, difficult wind conditions, complex sites and noise sensitivities. Consequently, it is crucial to have robust and flexible technology to maximise returns for our customers. 

“On top of this, a fundamental requirement for doing business in Ireland is to have strong commitment to compliance with the Irish grid code. Nordex Group has a proven track record in this regard, gained over many years, which gives our customers confidence in us.” 

 

 

County Mayo could harness its windy potential. Picture credit: IHA

Did you like it? 4.5/5 (20)

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Hywind Ireland Nordex Scotland wind power
Follow on Google News Follow on X (Twitter)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleSummit to end Caspian legal limbo
Next Article Iran to replace Total investment 
Eirwen Williams
  • X (Twitter)

Eirwen Williams is a Brussels-based journalist at Energy Reporters, specializing in European energy policy, market trends, technological innovation, and energy security. A graduate of NYU’s Journalism Institute, he examines how nations and industries are navigating the continent’s energy transition. With a focus on the forces driving change, his reporting highlights the interplay between regulation, infrastructure, and new technologies shaping Europe’s energy future. Contact: [email protected]

Keep Reading
Illustration of a TGV train equipped with satellite internet technology, generated by artificial intelligence.

“Elon Musk Promises to End France’s TGV Wi-Fi Nightmare”: Starlink Solution Set to Transform Train Travel With Blazing Internet Speeds

Illustration of two tiny, counter-rotating wind turbines enhancing power generation efficiency. Image generated by AI.

“These Mini Marvels Changed Everything Overnight”: Experts Stunned by Tiny Turbines Unlocking Wind’s Hidden Twist and Delivering a 37% Surge in Power Output

The emerging renewable energy duality in the windy North and sunny South

Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of the hydraulic system used in the construction of the Saqqara Step Pyramid, an artificial illustration.
“These Machines Built the Impossible”: Archaeologists Unveil Hydraulic System Powering Saqqara Pyramid Construction, Shattering Ancient Engineering Limits
Illustration of the internal chemistry of battery materials affecting energy flow, generated by artificial intelligence.
“These Hidden Hot Spots Hold the Key”: Scientists Uncover Secret Zones to Build Ultra-Durable EV Batteries, Triggering a Breakthrough in Car Longevity
Illustration of the ITER project’s boronization system for fusion plasma purification, generated by artificial intelligence.
“These Pipelines Are the Lifeline of Fusion”: ITER’s Half-Mile Boron Gas Network Set to Revolutionize Plasma Purity and Unleash Limitless Clean Energy
News by category
  • Featured
  • News
  • Use
  • Climate
  • Industry
  • Opinion
  • Policy
  • Output
  • Storage
  • Grid
Information
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Meet the Team
  • Contact Us
  • Legal Notice
  • Privacy Policy

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Facebook X (Twitter) RSS
© Energy-Reporters.com. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.