Europe is at the forefront in the development of wind energy, this is largely due to European policy makers recently placing a greater emphasis on the need to tackle carbon emissions produced from traditional methods of electricity generation. Countries such as Denmark, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, France and Italy have been particularly active in developing programmes to support the development of offshore wind.
The map to the right outlines the existing planned wind farm development in Northern Europe.
Developing a centre of excellence in offshore wind technology is something that Ireland can achieve. Energy giant Shell has estimated the value of the renewable energy sector at $1 trillion over the next five years. Ireland can become a leader in this industry in much the same way that we have developed technologies for Information Technology and Pharmaceuticals. This would support employment in areas such as...
- Turbine design
- Foundation Technology
- Energy Storage
- Installation
- Servicing
- Training
By involving our third level institutions in the development of this and other renewable sectors we can ensure that our economy remains to the forefront of what will be one of the worlds fastest growing industries in the 21st century.
