Ireland’s offshore renewable energy (ORE) targets are ambitious, aiming to create at least 37GW of ORE generation capacity by 2050, which is approximately six times our current peak electricity demand.
The scale of these targets is a strong signal of Ireland’s clear potential to become a global leader in ORE. Ireland has the unique advantage in Europe of an expansive Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is around seven times our landmass, a frequent and powerful wind resource offshore, and a strong history of cultivating world-leading industries. Our potential to produce ORE that exceeds our domestic demand positions Ireland at the core of Europe’s renewable energy future. Ireland has the opportunity to develop an ORE sector to serve our growing domestic needs, create new industrial opportunities in energy intensive sectors, and to grow an ORE industry of a scale that can compete globally.
Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy
Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy is the first strategy of its kind for Ireland. It aims to build a successful, vibrant and impactful offshore wind energy industry in Ireland, ensuring that the sector creates as much value as possible throughout Ireland and maximises the economic benefits associated with government ambitions to deliver its offshore wind targets.
Powering Prosperity includes 40 actions to be implemented by the end of 2025. The strategy was developed and is being implemented as part of close ongoing collaboration between the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and other government departments and agencies within the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (OWDT).
Core pillars
The strategy is anchored on 4 core pillars:
- Offshore wind supply chains: to build capacity and capability to develop the offshore wind farms that deliver on the 37GW target and give Ireland an edge in exporting products and services related to offshore wind energy (OWE)
- Research, development and innovation: to give Ireland a competitive cutting edge in new technology and know-how for the sector
- Balanced regional economic development opportunities: to drive growth from OWE in line with the Programme for Government priority of enabling all parts of Ireland to thrive so that Ireland as a whole can prosper
- Future demand and end uses for offshore renewable energy: for example, to develop new Green Energy Industrial Parks, which can attract major foreign direct investment, establish new indigenous green businesses and serve as test beds for green technological innovation to power the Irish economy of the future
Implementation progress update
Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy sets out an intention to publish progress reports, beginning in 2025. A first implementation progress update report was published in April 2025. This report outlines the status of each of the Industrial Strategy’s 40 actions, providing detail on progress made by April 2025.
Of the 40 actions, 38, or 95%, are complete or in progress. Of these, 11 have been delivered as set out in the Strategy, with a further 3 completed by alternative means, or insofar as possible. A further 24 are currently in progress, though 5 of these are delayed. Of the final 2 actions, 1 is not yet initiated, and 1 will not be completed due to external circumstances. A detailed description of progress made in relation to each action is available in the progress report: Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy Implementation Progress Report.
RD&I funding opportunities for the offshore wind sector
A number of government departments and agencies including Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, the Marine Institute, Research Ireland and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland all offer an extensive range of programmes and supports to promote investment in RD&I and to aid companies and research performing organisations in their RD&I journey. These are in addition to European initiatives such as IPCEI and Horizon Europe.
For more information visit RD&I funding opportunities for the offshore wind sector or the National Enterprise Hub.
DETE Offshore Wind Industry Forum
The DETE Offshore Wind Industry Forum was established in 2023 and is comprised of representatives from Wind Energy Ireland (WEI), Marine Renewables Industry Association (MRIA) and a panel of company representatives from the offshore wind supply chain. The forum is tasked with supporting the continued development and implementation of Powering Prosperity – Ireland’s Industrial Strategy for Offshore Wind by ensuring alignment with the overall work of the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce and the implementation of the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030.
Related links
Ireland's Offshore Wind Ambition
White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030
Climate Action Plan
Offshore Renewable Energy Future Framework Policy Statement
Draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan
Policy Statement on the Framework for Phase Two Offshore Wind
Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce (OWDT)
Enterprise Ireland
IDA Ireland