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Shell acquires stake in Irish floating project

By: Tom Russell 27/01/2021 Emerald Floating Wind

General Windfarms

Shell New Energies, a subsidiary of major oil & gas company Royal Dutch Shell, has signed an agreement with Irish developer Simply Blue Energy to acquire a 51% share of its Simply Blue Energy Kinsale venture, which was set up to develop the Emerald Project, a floating wind farm in the Celtic Sea, off the south coast of Ireland.

The Joint Venture will be operated by Simply Blue Energy supported by Shell floating wind experts, with the project office based in the Cork City Docklands rejuvenation area.

The project is located in the vicinity of the Kinsale gas fields, which are currently being decommissioned. 300 MW of installed capacity is planned initially, with the potential to scale-up to a total installed capacity of 1 GW. This is equivalent to powering 800,000 Irish homes or the capacity of the Moneypoint power station, Ireland’s largest electricity generation station. This “stepping-stone” approach is designed to build the infrastructure necessary to deliver a project of this scale.

The turbines are to to be placed 35km – 60km offshore, expected to reduce visual impacts. Depending on the size of turbines selected, the first phase of the project will include between 15 and 25 turbines. The assembly, installation and deployment of these turbines could stimulate hundreds of high-quality jobs in the local supply chain. Long-term operations and maintenance of the turbines will also require local skills and services in Cork Harbour for up to 25 years.

Colin Crooks, VP Offshore Wind at Shell said: “At Shell we aim to build an integrated power business spanning electricity generation, trading and supply. This project could provide green power to consumers and businesses alike and contribute towards Shell’s ambition to be a net-zero emissions business by 2050, or sooner. Working alongside coastal communities to create shared value is key to success and this is why we have chosen and look forward to working with Simply Blue Energy who are rooted in the local community.”

Sam Roch-Perks, CEO of Simply Blue Energy, said: “Floating wind energy is a major opportunity for Ireland to become a ‘Green Gulf’, by realising the benefits of its vast marine and offshore wind resources without negatively impacting our beautiful coastlines. Simply Blue Energy is delighted to work with Shell to further our portfolio of floating wind projects in the Celtic Sea. Our shared vision for Emerald is to do the right thing for our stakeholders, the community and the environment. This announcement represents an important milestone in the ability of the Emerald project to ensure the government meets its climate target of 5GW of offshore wind by 2030.”

For more information on floating offshore wind farms worldwide, click here. You can also view projects worldwide on 4C Offshore's Interactive map.

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Shell acquires stake in Irish floating project

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