Offshore wind energy capacity increased in the first half year of 2011, with a 4.5% rise in installations compared to the corresponding period of 2010. According to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), 101 new offshore wind turbines, with a total capacity of 348 Megawatt (MW), were connected to the power grids in the UK, Germany … Read more
20 Megawatt wind turbines are feasible, according to a new report from the EU-funded UpWind project. The UpWind project explored the design limits of up-scaling wind turbines to 20 Megawatt (MW) and found that they would have rotor diameters of around 200 metres, compared to some 120 metres on today’s 5 MW turbines. Such turbines … Read more
The Government has published the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan for public consultation. Ireland’s ocean territory is ten times our land mass size. This Plan, in conjunction with the Strategic Environmental Assessment of Irish Waters also now published, looks at offshore wind, wave and tidal energy resources and how that could be maximised in the … Read more