Ireland will require between 2.5GW and 3.5GW of offshore wind installed by 2030 to help meet the government’s target of 70% renewables, according to the chief executive of state-owned utility ESB.

Pat O’Doherty tells Recharge that this offshore surge — Ireland currently has only 25MW of offshore wind installed — would probably require offshore-only tenders in the country’s forthcoming green-energy auction system, the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).