The electricity supplier Energia is about to start work on two offshore wind projects of one billion euros while the French giant EDF pledged yesterday to increase investments in the Republic.

The Department of Housing and Local Government has granted Energia foreshore licenses giving it the exclusive right to survey the Irish and Celtic Seas areas for two offshore wind farms that will each produce 800 megawatts (MW).

Seabed studies are a key first step in the development of offshore wind farms as they allow developers to identify the best sites for the turbines that will ultimately generate electricity.

Energia is planning a farm in the south of the Irish Sea and another in the north of the Celtic Sea, requiring a total investment of around € 2 billion, or € 1 billion each, according to its chief executive officer. renewable energies, Peter Baillie.

He predicted that completing surveys, obtaining building permits, grid connections and construction would take several years. “We hope to be able to operate towards the end of 2019,” Baillie said.

At the same time, EDF Renouvelables announced on Wednesday its intention to build onshore wind farms in the Republic capable of producing up to 500 MW by 2030.

The commitment of 500 million euros is in addition to its partnership in the Codling wind farm in the Irish Sea with the Scandinavian group Fred Olsen.

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renouvelables, stressed that commitments in solar, onshore and offshore energy meant that he would build power plants with a total capacity of around 1,000 MW in the Republic from here. the end of the decade.

He was speaking after the company officially opened its Irish office at Ringsend in Dublin yesterday.

Mr Hue noted that the Codling development, which will generate 1,500 MW, is the largest current energy infrastructure project in Ireland. Its construction will cost nearly 2 billion euros.

The French company took over local player Wexford Solar last year and is working on its first solar farms in the county and neighboring Kilkenny. He is also working on a 100 MW wind project in Kilsallagh, Co. Mayo.

“It was natural for us to come to Ireland to apply the skills we have in offshore and onshore,” said Mr Hue.

In a statement, he urged the Republic to “take advantage” of its renewable energy potential to enable it to achieve the government’s net zero carbon goal by 2050.