Developer Simply Blue Energy plans to co-deploy wave energy generation with 1.1GW of floating wind as it plans another giant project off the nation’s shores.

The company has applied for a site investigation licence for the Western Star wind project 35km off Co Clare off Ireland’s Atlantic west coast.

The project also aims to deploy a 5MW demonstrator wave project 4-6km offshore, which could expand to 30MW. No timescales or investment figures are given for the twin plans.

Western Star joins two other floating projects Simply Blue Energy is advancing. The developer is also partnering Total for the Blue Gem Wind joint venture’s Erebus project off Wales, and with Shell in the up-to 1GW Emerald project off Ireland’s eastern coast.

Developers are increasingly looking at the potential benefits of co-deploying floating wind and other marine renewables.

Sam Roch-Perks, managing director of the Simply Blue Group said: “Ireland’s development of floating wind sites continues and we are delighted to be introducing wave energy to the energy mix. We believe that the combination of the two technologies will deliver significant system benefits to help economies move to net zero.”

Simply Blue is working with marine energy specialist CorPower Ocean and European investment EIT InnoEnergy on the wave element of project, which will be called Saoirse.

Preliminary front end engineering design and offshore survey activities are now underway with various stakeholders, said Simply Blue.

Ireland has emerged as key potential market for floating wind growth thanks to the potential of the Celtic Basin and its windy Atlantic waters.

Global offshore wind giant Iberdrola earlier this year took stakes in two floating wind projects being advanced by DP Energy.

Ireland is pursuing a goal of 5GW of offshore wind by 2030, which it plans to meet with fixed-foundation turbines.

But that target – a crucial part of national climate and energy plans that include a 70%-green power system – is the first step in a wider ambition for wind at sea that also includes 30GW of floating turbines.

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Gigawatt-scale plan to tap floating wind and wave power in Irish Atlantic