Ireland sets course for offshore renewable energy expansion

Ireland’s Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has unveiled a National Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) Proposal that will map out future offshore renewable energy development. The plan is designed to provide a sustainable framework that balances economic growth, environmental protection, and community engagement while driving the transition to a low-carbon economy.

With an ambition to deliver 20 GW of offshore wind by 2040, the DMAP will identify zones for fixed and floating wind projects, including demonstration sites. Crucially, it offers greater clarity for investors and stakeholders following earlier projects on the south coast.

Public consultation will be extensive, running into 2027, when the completed DMAP is due for government approval. Ministers emphasised both the urgency of decarbonisation and the strategic importance of reducing reliance on volatile fossil fuel imports.

Read the full article to explore how Ireland’s new DMAP could reshape the offshore renewables landscape.