Wedoany.com Report-Mar 10, North Channel Wind today welcomed a government publication identifying potential sites for offshore wind developments in Northern Ireland.

The renewable energy company is planning to develop a floating offshore wind farm in the North Channel of the Irish Sea – and is buoyant after seeing the areas mapped out in the government report.

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald launched the public consultation on potential sites for offshore renewable energy development in the region.

People are being invited to have their say on the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan (OREAP): Consultation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Environmental Report and Report to Inform Appropriate Assessment (RIAA).

A core objective of the OREAP is to update the SEA and Habitats Regulation Assessment (HRA) of offshore renewable energy in Northern Ireland’s marine area.

North Channel Wind said the publication marked a “significant step forward” for Northern Ireland in its journey towards 100% clean energy.

The SEA shows zones within Northern Ireland’s marine area deemed to be the best for installing offshore wind turbines.

North Channel Wind project director Niamh Kenny said the maps in the document were a close match to her company’s proposed development site.

“We are very pleased that our own exhaustive constraints, mapping and engineering assessments have been vindicated, as a significant portion of North Channel Wind 1 is in a Refined Area, recommended for offshore wind,” Kenny said.

The publication of the SEA is one of the key catalysts to begin an offshore wind leasing round.

The seabed around Northern Ireland is owned and managed by The Crown Estate, which controls all leasing agreements.

“The SEA has considered all of the environmental constraints and the DfE has now proposed for consultation areas in Northern Ireland’s marine area which could be used for offshore wind development,” Kenny added.

“It is the result of collaboration already undertaken with key statutory and non-statutory stakeholders.”

The public will now have an opportunity to comment on the SEA in a process which will remain open until 22 May.