Harnessing our potential Investment and jobs in Ireland’s offshore wind industry March 2020 1. Introduction Acknowledgements The Carbon Trust wrote this report based on an impartial analysis of primary and secondary sources, including stakeholder consultation. The Carbon Trust would like to thank everyone that has contributed their time and expertise during the preparation and completion of this report. Special thanks go to the Irish Wind Energy Association Supply Chain Working Group and Enterprise Ireland whose input and feedback were invaluable in completing this report. This report was sponsored by the GreenTech Skillnet who is being managed by the Irish Wind Energy Association. For the avoidance of doubt, this report expresses independent views of the authors. | 1 The Carbon Trust’s mission is to accelerate the move to a sustainable, low carbon economy. It is a world leading expert on carbon reduction and clean technology. As a not-for-dividend group, it advises governments and leading companies around the world, reinvesting profits into its low carbon mission. Authors: Liam Leahy
[email protected] Manager Dan Kyle Spearman Manager Rory Shanahan Manager Elson Martins Associate Emily Northridge Analyst Georgia Mostyn Energy Consultant | 2 Executive Summary Ireland is on the cusp of an energy revolution. Over the next ten years Ireland will connect a new generation of offshore wind farms, providing enormous amounts of clean energy to power homes, farms and businesses. This will accelerate the ongoing decline in CO2 emissions from the electricity sector and drastically cut Ireland’s bill for foreign fossil fuel imports. Offshore wind energy is at the heart of the Climate Action Plan’s ambition to cut CO2 emissions in the electricity sector by two-thirds and increase the renewable energy share of electricity demand to 70 per cent by 2030 from its current 35 per cent.