Report: Offshore Wind Port Siting in Ireland
Author: Jenny Gibson
About the author: Jenny Gibson is a policy advisor, focusing on the use of sustainable fuels in the maritime sector. She holds an MSc in Environmental Governance from the University of Freiburg and a BA in Political Science and Geography from Trinity College Dublin. Previously, she worked at Öko-Institut e.V. in Germany, conducting research on renewable energy policy and spatial planning for the energy transition across several European countries. Following completion of her master’s degree, she received grant funding through the MARÉIRE project to research offshore renewable energy in Ireland, with a particular focus on the siting of port infrastructure.
Introduction:
Ireland’s transition towards offshore renewable energy (ORE) is driving growing demand for port infrastructure capable of supporting offshore wind development. Through the South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan (SC-DMAP), which designated prospective areas for fixed-bottom wind farms in the Celtic Sea, the Government has adopted a plan-led approach to offshore wind deployment, including a proposed multi-port strategy involving ports such as Cork, Rosslare Europort, and Waterford. However, many of the ports under consideration are located within or adjacent to ecologically sensitive estuarine environments and Natura 2000 sites, raising concerns regarding the environmental impacts of port expansion and the dredging required.
This report identifies a significant gap in existing research relating specifically to the environmental implications of port expansion for offshore wind. Therefore, the report examines how ports are selected and expanded for offshore fixed-bottom wind development, with a particular focus on whether environmental and socio-economic considerations are meaningfully integrated into decision-making processes. Drawing on literature reviews, policy analysis, as well as examples from England, Denmark, and Germany, the research finds that port siting for offshore wind remains heavily dominated by technical and economic criteria such as proximity to offshore sites, quay capacity, and logistical efficiency. Environmental considerations are often treated as secondary constraints or consenting risks rather than central planning criteria.
