Limited port space challenges plans for wind energy
The chief executive of industry representative body WindEurope, Giles Dickenson, recently said Europe's ports 'are not ready for the build-out of offshore wind Europe wants'.
"That's deeply worrying. Because you can't do offshore wind without ports. If the ports aren't ready, then all the other huge efforts and investments that are being made across the offshore wind value chain are potentially wasted.''
Mr Dickenson says Europe needs to invest €8.5bn in port infrastructure in the next five, years, and this is very applicable to Ireland.Our ports do not seem to be ready, and we do not have enough capacity to cater for the projects confirmed.
Ireland has committed to delivering 5 GW of offshore wind by 2030, but is this achievable?
Ireland is making progress on fixed offshore, with 4.4 GWs of fixed offshore wind farms proceeding through the planning process following the ORESS (offshore wind renewable electricity auction) auction of 2023, with more expected this year.
However, a blind spot for Ireland is its sea ports – we do not have enough ports at the right size, in the right place, to meet requirements. The need for capacity and space at Ireland's ports is pivotal to realising our goals for offshore renewable energy (ORE).
DCU have analysed this in the Research Ireland Programme called NexSys. There are three categories of ports required to satisfy the needs of offshore windfarm implementation in Ireland: Operations and Maintenance (O&M) ports, Foundation Marshalling ports, and Installation Marshalling ports. With regards O&M ports, Ireland would seem to be well served.
Foundation Marshalling ports effectively manage the staging and installation of the offshore fixed bottom wind turbines foundations. The DCU study shows that many monopile steel foundations get shipped in bulk from Asia. The size and draft (-12m) of these ships limit where they could be offloaded – Rosslare would have a challenge. Foundations can also be sourced in Europe where shipments volumes can be lower, but cost may be an issue.
Installation Marshalling ports provide a consolidation hub for fixed windfarms, where turbine towers, nacelles (a type of housing unit for essential equipment) and blades can be offloaded, stored, partially assembled before they are deployed at sea. A harbour draft of up to -10m as well as reinforced laydown area, and quay perspective, are a necessity.
Research shows that co-locating the foundation load-out process and installation process for turbines, blades, etc, is not seen as best practice. The laydown area is a critical component in a port's ability to support the rollout.
Rosslare has 21 hectares of laydown while Cork has 23ha. To put Ireland's total laydown area of 44ha in perspective: Hull in the UK has 61ha; Esbjerg (Denmark) 170ha, Cuxhaven (Germany) 152ha; Eemshaven (Netherlands) has 46ha of space for offshore work. Many sources say that 'a single 1 GW windfarm project with 12-14 MW turbines would occupy 22ha of a port for two years during the construction period'.
Cork has commenced the extension of its pier but is yet to apply for planning for reclamation work. Rosslare is waiting to progress its planning application to deliver its quays and laydown area. These two ports are the only ports in the State. Belfast has more than 30GW of UK and Irish projects close to it, already making it an in-demand port.
If Ireland is limited to just 44 Ha of laydown space from Cork and Rosslare, we will only be able to install about 0.5GW per annum and this could delay achieving 5GW of installed offshore wind energy by eight years, to 2038.
What can be done? Port options in Ireland are limited due to the geophysical aspects of our ports, the physical size of the equipment, and the limitations in our port infrastructure and offshore wind energy port strategy, but there are solutions.
Bantry, Shannon Foynes, and possibly Bremore offer solutions as Foundation Marshalling ports. Bantry and Shannon Foynes need development to support floating wind anyway, so why not invest earlier?
The upcoming ports policy from the Dept of Transport is a key document as to whether the barrier of infrastructural investment by government has been changed.
Non-Irish options are open to any developer if they source the foundations from European sources like Holland or Spain, potentially feeding a site directly using barges. Neither are ideal. If foundations are procured from the Far East, these items will be shipped in bulk to a feeder port, preferably in Ireland.
Using Belfast, Scotland, or another UK port could offer solutions, but these are jobs lost to the State.
It's a far cry from the Dept of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's Power Prosperity strategy document which spoke of building ''a successful, vibrant, and impactful new offshore sector, and to ensure the sector creates value for the people of Ireland'.
James Carton is assistant professor in sustainable energy in Dublin City University. Bill Duggan is a research assistant at DCU.
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