Northern Ireland’s coastline cannot be used for offshore wind farm development, because of potential objections to how they would look. The findings were presented in a Department of Economy report.
As BBC informed, the report said the ‘visual impact’ to potential sites located within 13km of the shore would be a ‘significant issue’. For this reason, Northern Ireland has been excluded from a 2019 leasing round by the Crown Estate which controls the seabed.
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However, the report added that offshore wind could take place in the future, if technology changes and things like floating wind platforms start operations. In fact, the east coast from Carlingford Lough to Belfast Lough was considered for possible leasing, but it was rejected.
The main criteria used to analyze the suitability of offshore wind farms, is that 99% of the NI characterisation area is based within 13km of the coast and, as a result, it is restrained by risk and uncertainty regarding visual sensitivity from shore.
The report also found out that disturbance to sensitive protected sites and species along the coast might present difficulties regarding the necessary cables to get the power ashore.
Moreover, the report indicates that the future of a possible wave energy project off Torr Head in Co Antrim is also unclear after the company, Tidal Ventures Ltd, which was awarded a marine licence, was dissolved earlier in 2019. In addition, another tidal project off Fairhead in Co Antrim, is being considered for a marine licence.
The project met some objections due to plans to bring cables ashore close to Murlough Bay, which is a protected area, while some of the infrastructure would be visible above the surface.
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs wrote to the company, after which it proposed changes to mitigate the concerns.
Now, a new marine licence application will be necessary to proceed with the changes, but that has not yet been received.
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