Shell has reached an agreement with Irish developer Simply Blue Energy to acquire stake in the Emerald floating wind farm in Ireland.
The oil and gas company will acquire a 51% stake in Simply Blue Energy Kinsale venture that will develop the floating wind farm located in the Celtic Sea, off the south coast of Ireland.
With the stake purchase, Simply Blue Energy is anticipated to operate the joint venture, with support from the Shell floating wind experts.
The partnership will combine the Simply Blue Energy’s floating wind experience and local knowledge with Shell’s offshore and floating wind expertise and capability to develop complex projects.
Shell offshore wind VP Colin Crooks 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.”
Emerald project will have 300MW capacity initially
The Emerald facility will harness the wind potential of the Celtic Sea to help create a clean, sustainable future while supporting the Ireland achieve its green energy revolution, said the company.
The project is in the early stages and aims to exploit the floating wind potential in the Irish part of the Celtic Sea. It will leverage the advanced renewable floating wind-powered generators.
With an initial installed capacity of 300MW, the project has the potential to scale-up to a total installed capacity of 1GW, which is equivalent to power 800,000 homes in Ireland.
The floating wind technology allows the project to be placed 35km to 60km offshore, and the first phase of the project will include between 15 and 25 turbines, based on the turbines size.
The project is expected to create hundreds of high-quality jobs in the local supply chain, for the assembly, installation and deployment of these turbines.
Simply Blue Energy CEO Sam Roch-Perks 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.”
