Ongoing geopolitical disruption and energy price hikes have made it ‘crucial’ for Ireland to accelerate its offshore renewable energy development, Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien has said.

Commenting on the launch of the Offshore Wind Energy Programme Annual Report, the minister said that recent events in the Strait of Hormuz and wider Middle East have “underlined the importance” of Ireland developing its own renewable energy supply, particularly given the country’s “abundance” of offshore wind.

“Our unique offshore wind resource means there is sizeable international interest in investing in our offshore energy development, as was proven by the state’s second offshore auction, which attracted strong international interest in recent months at a time when other auctions internationally were failing,” he commented.

“The undeniable success of the Tonn Nua auction is a testament to the Irish Government’s ongoing commitment to the offshore renewable energy (ORE) sector and providing a stable policy environment to invest in.”

The Offshore Wind Energy Programme Annual Report outlines the key achievements, challenges and opportunities faced by the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce during 2025, across nine cross-government workstreams.

A key milestone was the granting of planing applications for all five Phase One offshore wind projects along Ireland’s east coast, which combined will represent 3.8GW of generation capacity, equivalent to more than 60% of Ireland’s current peak electricity demand.

The report also pointed to continued grid development by EirGrid; progress on the South Coast Designated Marine Area Plan; ongoing work towards a future National Designated Marine Area Plan; and the redevelopment of Ireland’s ports infrastructure to accommodate offshore development, particularly Port of Cork.

“The scale of our move away from fossil fuels is such that we need ongoing engagement and collaboration between government, industry and citizens, as we look to realise our renewable energy ambitions,” the Minister added.

“The Offshore Wind Energy Programme harnesses the collective energy and effort across 16 state departments and agencies, and this taskforce report reflects a year of coordinated action and momentum. Looking ahead, we are focused on removing the remaining bottlenecks in planning, grid, and delivery. We need all sectors – public, private and community – to work together realise the full potential of offshore wind as a driving force for Ireland’s clean energy transition.”

Timmy Dooley, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Marine, added that the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce remained “of utmost importance” to ensuring Ireland can meet its target of delivering 5GW of offshore wind capacity in the near term. Read more here.