Bord Gáis Energy and Corio Generation have announced a new partnership to explore opportunities to supply Ireland’s electricity market with green electricity from offshore wind. The agreement represents Bord Gáis Energy’s entry into the offshore wind arena and will play an important role in its ongoing commitment to expand its renewable energy portfolio. Corio, a leading global offshore wind developer with a global pipeline of more than 30 GW, is currently developing the 450 MW Sceirde Rocks wind farm off the west coast of Ireland.
The Bord Gáis Energy/Corio partnership say the move aligns with the government’s strategy to develop Ireland’s significant offshore wind resource, which will contribute to Ireland’s climate action targets and maximize the economic impact of future renewable energy use while also contributing to the security of supply and delivering balanced regional economic development.
Speaking ahead of the Energy Ireland Conference, which takes place in Croke Park this week, Dave Kirwan, Managing Director, Bord Gáis Energy, said: “At Bord Gáis Energy, we believe all energy can be green energy and that this can also improve Ireland’s energy security. This significant partnership with Corio will combine our power generation and route-to-market expertise, the financial backing of Centrica, and Corio Generation’s global experience in the development of offshore wind projects. For Bord Gáis Energy, today’s announcement is part of our wider strategic objective to energize a greener, fairer future in Ireland, offering end-to-end green energy solutions required for the transition to net zero.”
The Irish government has set a goal of generating 80% of electricity through renewables by 2030, including 5 GW from offshore wind. In March 2024, the Department of Energy, Climate and Communications published Ireland’s first-ever industrial strategy for offshore wind, with the aim of building a strong and resilient offshore wind supply chain to support the development of offshore wind projects in Ireland and abroad.
This was followed in May 2024 with two further announcements: a future framework document that outlined Ireland’s long-term approach to the growth of offshore wind generation, and a publication on potential areas of development (DMAPS) off the south coast of Ireland ahead of a planned auction round in late 2024.