Green Limerick: Shannon Estuary to be Silicon Valley of Wind?

THE SHANNON Estuary has the potential to be a key green-energy supply line for a proposed pan-European renewable energy supergrid.

The statement comes from world-renowned entrepreneur and leader in renewable energy development Dr Eddie O’Connor who gave a talk in the University of Limerick ahead of the launch of his new book with co-author Kevin O’Sullivan.

Speaking ahead of the regional launch of his new book Supergrid - Super Solution, Dr O’Connor said that there is an unparalleled opportunity for the West of Ireland and Shannon Estuary to become a key player in securing and decarbonising Ireland’s energy future and playing a key role in the unprecedented realignment of Europe’s energy mix in response to climate change and unwinding of its dependence on Russian oil and gas.

The founder of Airtricity, Mainstream Renewable Power and SuperNode said that Ireland’s offshore resources have the potential to supply up to 10% of Europe’s power by 2050, enabling the State to make its greatest-ever contribution to the European project.

“This is our time. Never before has Ireland had the opportunity it now has to make an impact in Europe. And what a time to be stepping forward, what a solution to be coming with, a solution to climate change, which is the great challenge of our time globally, and energy security arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Dr O’Connor said.

“There are many countries in Europe without sufficient renewable resources to decarbonise their economies. There are others, such as Ireland and its west coast with huge potential surpluses. There is currently no way of getting wind and solar renewably-generated electricity from remote areas at the edge of the continent to those countries which want to decarbonise but don’t have the means to do so from their own resources.

American based TV host thanks Limerick firefighters for saving family home

“Within the pages of Supergrid - Super Solution, lies the blueprint to build a supergrid for Europe. If we move with haste to harness the resources off our west coast, a revolution can be borne, birthing the Silicon Valley of Wind. With this transformative energy, the West of Ireland, anchored by the Shannon Estuary, can awaken once more, heralding a new era of innovation and progress,” he added.

The book launch heard from Kevin O’Sullivan, Environment and Science Editor and former Editor of The Irish Times with a speciality in climate change; biodiversity, renewable energy and sustainability. Both authors discussed how the unprecedented collaboration between countries, the creation of the pan-European Supergrid using proven superconductor technology and harvesting the west coast’s wind via the estuary can connect that and Europe's wider abundant renewable energy resources to generate clean energy at a scale never seen before.

The Supergrid will require connecting Europe's northern wind farms, especially offshore in the Irish Atlantic, with the southern solar PV capacity around the Mediterranean, at a cost of over €900 billion.

However, analysis in the book suggests that this investment can generate payback within 7.8 years.

Mr O’Connor continued: “The West Coast of Ireland, with its abundance of renewable energy, can play a crucial role in the Supergrid project by harnessing and distributing energy across Europe, bringing energy security and ending wildly fluctuating fossil fuel prices. If the necessary renewable and grid infrastructure is developed, Ireland’s offshore resources have the potential to supply up to 10% of Europe’s power by 2050.

“This ground-breaking plan will also significantly boost the Irish economy, creating jobs, leading to the exporting of surplus energy, creating the ‘Silicon of Valley of Wind’ on Ireland’s west coast,” he said.

Co-author Kevin O’Sullivan said: “I fervently believe the Supergrid concept is the big solution called for when the EU unveiled its European Green Deal to decarbonise the EU. This unique opportunity for Ireland’s West Coast cannot be understated. We can be the driving force behind a Supergrid, which can become the great facilitator under REPowerEU to generate secure, affordable and renewable energy for all Europeans.”

The unique elements in this book are its comprehensive costing of a European Supergrid backed by a detailed outline of how it can be rolled out with a new regulatory structure and combined with the reform of the European electricity market.

It proposes the putting in place of a not-for-profit governance structure to oversee the development of the Supergrid in a transnational initiative for the collective benefit of European consumers.

The final chapter in Supergrid - Super Solution makes a compelling case for phasing out fossil fuels rapidly and appeals to young people everywhere to challenge and demand changes with greater urgency in the face of accelerating climate and biodiversity crises – in particular, scaling up the rollout of offshore wind and solar PV tied in with the pursuit of a new European Supergrid.

This book is not an academic work on an obscure possibility of electrical engineering. It is packed with graphics, facts, figures and calculations, yet written in a way that is accessible to its audience of political decision-makers, influencers, investors and anyone interested in sustainability.

The West of Ireland and the Shannon Estuary have a unique opportunity to lead this transformational change and become major players in generating clean energy for Europe and solving the energy crisis forever.

For more Green news, follow the EcoLive section of our website LimerickLive.ie