Environment minister Eamon Ryan has announced the commencement of the Maritime Area Consent regime.
Developers of offshore windfarms must have the consent to make an application for planning permission, to include environmental assessments, to An Bord Pleanála.
The new regime enables the minister to issue MACs to renewable energy developers who meet relevant assessment criteria.
Ryan said his department will assess MAC applicants in areas such as financial and technical competency. The aim is to ensure that only the most viable offshore projects will have the opportunity to apply for planning permission, thus streamlining the process.
The first MACs are expected to be issued in the second half of 2022.
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Minister Ryan commented: "Never has it been more vital that we use our vast offshore wind resource to create renewable energy and ensure the security of our own energy supply.
"The development of our offshore wind energy capacity will lessen, and eventually eradicate our dependence on imported fossil fuels, and bring an unprecedented reduction in CO2 emissions for a climate neutral future.
"Today marks a tangible milestone in our journey towards 80% renewable electricity by 2030, as set out in the Climate Action Plan. The door is now open for a number of developers to progress their offshore wind energy projects."
The MAC regime is provided for, under the recently-enacted Maritime Area Planning Act 2021.
The legislation provides for the establishment of the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, which won’t be up and running until 2023.
In the interim, the legislation provides minister Ryan with the powers to assess the first batch of MAC applications from seven qualified Offshore Renewable Energy projects. These are:
- Oriel Wind Park
- RWE (Bray and Kish Banks)
- Codling Wind Park (2 projects)
- Fuinneamh Sceirde Teo (Skerd Rocks)
- North Irish Sea Array.
Minister Ryan added that the award of MACs will enable the first Offshore Renewable Energy Support Scheme (ORESS) to open in Q4 2022.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications recently completed a public consultation process on potential transparent and objective criteria to be used for Phase Two of offshore wind deployment.
According to the department, it is expected that these projects will begin to progress through the new consenting system in early 2023.
