New report finds Foynes Port ‘can help cut reliance on gas from Russia’

THE Shannon Estuary is the best-placed in the country to help Ireland reach its climate goals, a new report has found.

And the report also states the port can also help Europe unwind its reliance on Russia.

Global engineering experts Bechtel were commissioned to carry out a review into the Shannon Foynes Port Company’s Vision 2041 masterplan.

The ambitious strategy among other things contains plans for expansion at Foynes port, to include a new one kilometre dock, with depths of more than 18 metres.

It’s envisaged that over the next 20 years, the capacity at the port will rise up to 20 million tonnes per year, with 1,200 hectares of land zoned for development.

There’s also the opportunity for the Port to utilise its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and become a major international renewable energy hub.

The review of Vision 2041 found development in Foynes would help Ireland meet its net zero obligations by 2050, and also lessen its dependence on fossil fuels from Russia.

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The potential electricity generation from the enormous renewable energy resource of the west coast winds can, the report estimates, deliver 30 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2050 - six times more than existing domestic demand. Significantly, the report states, this energy would also kick start a new industrial ecosystem based on the production of carbon free green electricity, hydrogen and derivatives, which will be transformational for Ireland by way of use for domestic electricity and e-fuels, electricity exports, and e-fuels exports.

These could be served by up to 120 floating turbines in waters off Ireland’s west coast.

Chamber chief executive Dee Ryan has welcomed the report, which was launched by Green Party leader Eamon Ryan.

“It’s wonderful to see presented in one great plan just how [renewables] will impact not just the types of business and industries, the supply chain that could develop around Foynes, but also the physical area around Foynes. It means we can identify what is needed, and what kind of eco-system is required to capitalise on the opportunity,” she said.