Largest Irish Offshore Wind Farm Applies for Maritime Area Consent

EDF Renewables and Fred. Olsen Seawind have applied for a Maritime Area Consent (MAC) for the proposed 1.5 GW Codling offshore wind farm in Ireland.

The project is one of the seven that the Irish Government invited to apply for MACs earlier this year after the country launched this new consent process under the Maritime Area Planning Act to regulate the use of Ireland’s maritime area.

If Codling Wind Park’s application is successful, it will allow the project to compete in the first Offshore Renewable Electricity Scheme auction, which is due to open later this year, and to submit a planning application to An Bord Pleanála.

“EDF Renewables is already very active in Ireland, across onshore and offshore wind, solar PV and battery storage. It is a strategically important market, to which we are fully committed. Our total focus now is on progressing the Codling Wind Park project through the ORESS auction and into planning. The submission of our MAC application is another step in this process”, said Scott Sutherland, Head of Offshore Wind at EDF Renewables.

According to Codling Wind Park, the project has also announced changes to its management team, with EDF Renewables and Fred. Olsen Seawind becoming more directly involved in the day-to-day running of what is a strategically important project for both companies.

Thomas Gellert, currently Senior VP Project Execution at Fred. Olsen Seawind, and Scott Sutherland, Head of Offshore Wind at EDF Renewables, have been appointed as co-project directors.

They will take up their joint leadership role immediately, with former director Arno Verbeek continuing as a senior advisor to the partners.

Subject to all necessary permits and consents being received, Codling Wind Park could begin construction in 2025 and is expected to take two to three years to complete.

The geotechnical survey has begun at the project’s proposed site which is approximately 13-22 kilometres off the County Wicklow coast, between Greystones and Wicklow Town, in the Irish Sea.

Codling represents one of the largest energy infrastructure investments in Ireland this decade and is set to become the country’s largest offshore wind farm.

Ireland plans to source 80 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2030, with 5 GW coming from offshore wind.

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