Noel Cunniffe visits Scotland's Moray East Offshore Wind Farm

CEO Noel Cunniffe paid a visit to Moray East offshore wind farm in Scotland along with members of the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action. The 950 MW wind farm with 100 turbines can provide nearly 40 per cent of Scotland’s domestic electricity needs and it, along with the other offshore wind farms in the region, are clear evidence of Scotland’s transition away from the oil and gas industries of the past and the move towards a modern, clean, renewable society and the economic benefits that brings.

The trip was run by the OW Ocean Winds team who demonstrated the benefits which offshore wind energy has brought to the area and particularly the port town of Fraserburgh which hosts the project’s O&M base. The evidence of the economic boost to the area was everywhere, and the port now has further expansion plans to service future offshore wind farms down the line.

Scotland has grasped the opportunity of offshore wind energy and Ireland can take a lot of the lessons from the region as part of our own roll-out of offshore wind in the coming decade. The need for action to deliver an offshore wind sector in Ireland has never been stronger.