The Sceirde Rocks Offshore Wind Farm, developed by Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta, will be located between 5km and 11.5km off the west coast, with Carna in Galway being the nearest settlement.

This project is the first offshore wind farm off Ireland’s west coast to seek planning approval from An Bord Pleanála. It is expected to generate enough renewable energy to power 350,000 Irish homes, prevent an estimated 550,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually, and contribute up to €70 million to local community initiatives.

The proposed wind farm will feature turbines with a maximum tip height of 325m (1,066ft).

The project also includes landfall works at Killard on the Clare coast, near the Trump Doonbeg golf resort. At Killard, south of the resort, the company plans to install an underground Transition Joint Bay (TJB) to connect the offshore cable to the onshore grid connection.

Electricity from the wind farm will be transmitted onshore via a 68.5km subsea cable, running west of the Aran Islands and making landfall at Killard.

According to the planning notice, the TJB will be an underground concrete chamber measuring 20m by 5m with a depth of 2.5m, where the offshore and onshore grid cables will be connected. A temporary construction compound will also be built at Killard.

The onshore grid connection will be laid underground for 19.3km, leading to a new 220kV onshore compensation compound at Ballymacrinan, County Clare.

Financial statements recently filed by Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta show the company has already invested €31.7 million in project costs during 2023 and 2024. As of March last year, the company had accumulated losses of €35.93 million while navigating regulatory processes.

Fuinneamh Sceirde Teoranta is a joint venture between the Australian-based Macquarie Group and the global infrastructure investor, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.

This planning application follows the company’s success in June 2023 in the State’s Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme, where it secured a 450MW capacity award.

Michael Cloherty, Stakeholder Manager for Sceirde Rocks Wind Farm, stated: “This planning application marks the culmination of around three years of surveying, data analysis, and community engagement.”

He added: “We have worked closely with the local community to design a project that meets their needs and expectations, and we are grateful to everyone who engaged with our team throughout this process.”

Project Director Paul Concannon emphasized the wind farm’s potential benefits, saying: “Sceirde Rocks Wind Farm can provide lasting benefits for Ireland and local communities in Galway—reducing carbon emissions, enhancing energy security, and driving investment in skills, employment, infrastructure, and business development.”

If granted a 10-year planning consent, construction is expected to begin in 2026, with electricity generation starting in 2030. The wind farm is projected to operate for 38 years.

According to the statutory planning notice, third parties may submit observations or objections until 5:30 pm on March 24th.