State must invest in offshore wind farms says Ahern

Labour TD Ciarán Ahern has called on the government to ensure that the state plays a far greater role in the development of offshore wind farms.

The Dublin South-West TD said “it’s deeply worrying that one of Ireland’s most abundant natural resources, our wind energy capacity, appears to be being handed over to private interests.”

“Offshore wind farms will be a vital piece of infrastructure in the near future, helping us to ensure our energy security, but they will also be a crucial asset in our transition to green, renewable energy.”

Ahern, who is the party’s spokesperson on climate, said  “I understand that there needs to be some private involvement in order to secure financing and technical expertise, but for the ESB to hold a stake in only one offshore wind farm – and not even a controlling stake at that – is cause for concern.”

“The benefits of Ireland’s natural resources should be enjoyed by everyone; they cannot simply be another revenue stream for foreign-owned big energy companies.

“The State has to take a much stronger role in the development of offshore wind farms via the ESB so that our enormous wind energy potential are realised and the gains are felt by households around the country by way of reduced energy bills and a cleaner environment. They should begin by using €1 billion of the Apple tax money to take a direct equity stake in offshore developments.”

Ahern said he is “particularly troubled” by the level of involvement of fossil fuel companies in our offshore wind developments.

“Reports today show that one of Europe’s largest emitters of CO2 over the past 5 years holds a controlling stake in one of our offshore wind projects. We cannot allow the rollout of these vital pieces of infrastructure become exercises in greenwashing for those doing the most damage to the global environment and climate.

“Since the beginning of the second Trump presidency, fossil fuel companies have begun to unwind their investments in renewable energy. Are we sure they’re reliable partners, and are they really who we want at the vanguard in our transition to green energy? The State needs to step up to the plate, and the government needs to take action now”.