A review of the challenges faced by floating offshore wind developments around the coast of Ireland

Ambitious targets for offshore wind installations in Ireland have been set out. However, as the area for fixed-bottom installations in Irish waters is limited, the majority will be floating wind installations. This paper identifies the most pressing challenges faced by the floating offshore wind industry in Ireland. Given these challenges, the most suitable type of floating foundation is evaluated for three Areas: East, South, and West. Furthermore, some of the leading floating wind technology is reviewed and a discussion on the way forward for the industry is included. Overall, on the basis of current technology demonstrations, the semisubmersible appears to have a slight advantage over the other types of floating foundations for Irish waters. Some of the major challenges faced by the floating offshore wind industry in Ireland include severe met-ocean conditions, underdeveloped supply chains, and a lack of suitable construction- and staging ports. The floating offshore industry in Ireland, like elsewhere, could benefit from a higher degree of standardisation and innovations for onsite maintenance.