Photo by Vincent Guth
Ireland has unveiled a National Designated Maritime Area Plan (DMAP) to guide the country’s offshore wind development, mapping out suitable zones for fixed-bottom, floating, and floating demonstration projects.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications said the framework is designed to give “greater certainty for developers and marine users,” helping the government reach its target of 20 GW of offshore capacity by 2040.
Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien, said: “Having a single National DMAP for ORE in place to follow on from the Phase One projects and the South Coast DMAP for ORE published last year will provide greater certainty for our marine stakeholders and the renewables industry.”
The national plan builds on the South Coast DMAP, which had already identified four priority sites for development. The first of these, the “Tonn Nua” site, is due to be auctioned later this year with a capacity of 900 MW.
The government emphasised that the new national framework will provide a clear pathway for future offshore renewable energy (ORE) auctions, while balancing the needs of other marine stakeholders such as fisheries and environmental groups.
At the same time, Ireland’s five Phase One projects — concentrated on the east coast — continue to progress through the planning system, representing around 3.7 GW of capacity. All have submitted applications for consent.
Consultation on the national DMAP will take place in 2026 and 2027, with a draft plan expected in early 2027 before being laid before the Oireachtas for approval.
Industry observers have welcomed the clarity provided by the national framework but stressed that the government must also address grid connections, port infrastructure and supply chain capacity if the 2040 target is to be realised.
By including floating wind and demonstration sites, the plan positions Ireland to expand into deeper waters, opening more of its maritime area to renewable energy while testing emerging technologies.