ESB invests in Dublin Offshore to bring mooring tech to market

12 Apr 2023

From left: ESB's head of M&A renewables Fergal Desmond, head of offshore wind and hydrogen Paul Lennon and Dublin Offshore directors Darren Hayes, Tom Doyle and Danny Golden. Image: Fennell Photography

ESB is already partnered with Dublin Offshore on the Malin Sea Wind project and plans to further its wind ambitions in the south and west coasts of Ireland.

Dublin Offshore has received an investment from energy company ESB to expand further in the offshore wind market.

The company has developed mooring technology that is designed to reduce offshore wind costs. Dublin Offshore said its mooring system allows a floating platform to move more compliantly with waves, protecting it from storms and reducing mooring loads by up to 80pc.

The Irish company also said the mooring system uses low-cost materials, which have been tested in offshore environments and have a design life of more than 25 years.

ESB plans to use its resources to accelerate the development and delivery of Dublin Offshore’s floating wind project portfolio.

Dublin Offshore technical director Darren Hayes said having ESB as a strategic investor and partner will help bring its mooring system to market faster.

“We believe that our innovative approach will enable us to compete in the global market, and we are excited about the opportunities that this partnership with ESB will bring,” Hayes said.

Last month, ESB secured rights to develop a 100MW floating wind farm in Scottish waters off the coast of Northern Ireland. This collaborative Malin Sea Wind project will use Dublin Offshore’s load-reduction technology.

ESB head of offshore wind and hydrogen, Paul Lennon, said coming on board as an investor with Dublin Offshore will support its wind development ambitions, “particularly off the south and west coasts of Ireland”.

“This investment is an important step in our efforts to support the delivery of Ireland’s net zero ambition,” Lennon said. “We believe that floating offshore wind has enormous potential and this mooring technology will be a key component in delivering a clean, green future for Ireland.

“We look forward to working with the Dublin Offshore Technology team in the delivery of our floating wind projects.”

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Leigh Mc Gowran is a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com