YES to offshore wind.

NO to nearshore wind.

Calling for all offshore wind projects to be placed at least 22km from the Waterford coast, following the approach taken in other EU countries.

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Proposal

Offshore wind will play a key role in Ireland’s effort to tackle climate change, but the wind farms don’t have to be close to shore.

In Scotland, 6.4GW of fixed-bottom wind is proposed in areas with an average sea depth greater than 60m (Source, p.24).

We believe all wind farms off Waterford should be placed outside 22km (white line), in water >50m deep.

Why 22km? Because, at this distance, the visual impact will be ‘medium’ rather than ‘major’ (source), and inshore biodiversity and fishing should be safeguarded.

2023 South Map for Offshore Wind

The government will select an area(s) on this map in 2023 to develop an offshore wind farm(s). Data source: infomar.ie.

Waterford and offshore wind

July 2023 update:

• Since 2018 fourteen offshore wind farms have been proposed by energy companies off the Waterford coast.

• Now, instead of private developers selecting sites, the Irish Government have decided to designate areas where wind farms can and cannot be built. This is EU best practice and a most welcome development.

• While the new government approach is welcome, it is vital they select the right areas for offshore wind farms. The wind energy industry will be lobbying the government to select sites close to shore. This is because it is cheaper to build wind farms closer to shore and their profits will be greater.

• We are calling on the government to select sites at least 22km from shore, this is to protect coastal biodiversity, our stunning seascapes, our tourism sector and our inshore fishing industry.

• The government is welcoming submissions from the public until September 2023 and they will host several live in-person events to discuss their proposals. Dates and locations will be published here.

EU and offshore wind

In 2019 the average distance to shore for EU windfarms was 59km.

Belgium: All offshore wind farms are placed outside 22km. “The approach was to site wind farms at distances considered too far for visual intrusion” (Visual Impact Study, p.49).

Netherlands: Following a petition against plans for offshore wind farms near the coast, the government placed their designated wind farm zone 22km from shore.

Germany: “Nearly all German projects are planned for areas that are much more than 30km from the coast…most planners voluntarily keep to a minimum distance of 30km from the shore, as a result, the wind farms become hardly visible from land” (Visual Impact Study, p.48).

Denmark: Denmark has small offshore wind farms closer to shore where the turbine height does not exceed 115m. Notably, all projects with turbines higher than 115m are placed at least 23km from the shore. Wind turbines off Waterford will exceed 200m in height.

Solution

We are calling for the introduction of a 22km wind turbine free zone off the Waterford coast.

This aligns with EU best-practices, to protect biodiversity, our local fishing economy, our stunning seascapes and our tourism industry.

We are in favour of offshore wind projects that do not negatively impact our communities.

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Why?

Biodiversity

“We talk about climate change a lot, but biodiversity loss is as important an issue.” – David Attenborough

Gareth Cunningham, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Chief Marine Policy Officer

“We need environmentally sensible installations. We have a biodiversity emergency – we don’t want to make this worse while tackling the climate emergency.

We need to make sure the measures we take to address climate change aren’t the final nail in the coffin for seabirds“.

Biodiversity on Waterford Coast

The Waterford coastline has several Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas under EU law and includes the Copper Coast Unesco Geopark.

Protected areas include:

Ardmore Head SAC
Blackwater Estuary SPA
Blackwater River (Cork/Waterford) SAC
Dungarvan Harbour SPA
Helvick Head SAC
Helvick Head to Ballyquin SPA
Copper Coast Mid-Waterford Coast SPA
Tramore Back Strand SPA
Tramore Dunes and Backstrand SAC

Kittiwakes

Offshore wind farms pose a significant danger to Kittiwakes because they fly up to 40km from land to feed. They are protected by EU Birds Directive and 4 other international agreements and unfortunately, are now on a Red List of threatened bird species. There are multiple Kittiwake colonies on the Waterford coast.

Several studies indicate that seabirds are affected by the presence of offshore wind warms; through avoidance behaviours, habitat displacement, and collision mortality. —Gareth Bradbury, Furness P119, 56–66, Garthe P41, 724–734.

Under the EU’s Birds Directive and Habitats Directive the law requires “that Member States protect species of EU importance throughout their natural range within the EU, ie also outside Natura 2000 sites (article 5 of Birds Directive and Article 12 of Habitats Directive)”. — European Commission

Whales and Dolphins

“Mammals such as porpoises, bottlenose dolphins, Northern Right whale, harbour seals and baleen whales can be disturbed by specific frequencies of underwater noise.” — Offshore Wind & Conservation, European Marine Spatial Planning

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Tourism: Visual Impact

Lincs offshore

8km from shore: Lincs wind farm, UK, turbines 170m tall

Norther wind farm, Belgium

23km from shore: Norther wind farm, Belgium, turbines 180m tall

For physical height illustrative purposes only.

Note: Wind turbines placed off the Waterford coast will be 175-300m tall.

Scientific Evidence

Independent research supports the proposal that offshore wind farms should be placed at least 22km from shore.

2019 Wales Seascape and visual sensitivity study (source):

Turbine Height Low impact Medium Impact
107-145m 22.6km 14km
146-175m 24.4km 18.8km
176-225m 28.5km 22km
226-300m 41.6km 27.9km
301-350m 44km 32.8km

Offshore Wind Turbine Visibility and Visual Impact Threshold Distances - R. Sullivan (2013)

“Small offshore wind facilities of a few dozen turbines can be seen easily at distances exceeding 25 km (15 miles) and moderately sized facilities of 100 turbines are seen easily at distances of 35 km (22 miles) or even farther. At distances of 14 km (9 miles) or less, even isolated, small facilities will likely be a major focus of visual attention in seaward views.” (source)

2020 Whites & Northumbria University seascape and visual buffer study (source):

Turbine Height Low impact Medium Impact
107-145m 19.2km 14km
146-175m 21.7km 15.8km
176-225m 26.2km 20.2km
226-300m 38.6km 27.5km
301-350m 35-44km 24-35km

Peter Coyle, Chairman, Marine Renewables Industry Association

“We sense that the visual impact of today’s big turbines…much bigger than those deployed in Arklow, may become a political issue.” – Independent.ie

Giants Causeway

Northern Ireland

A UK government report states that Northern Ireland’s coast is ‘not suitable’ for offshore wind. “It said the “visual impact” to potential sites based within 13km of the shore would be a ‘significant issue’.” – BBC

Wind turbine

Cork Floating Wind Farm

“Floating wind technology can be installed in deep waters, allowing this development to be sited between 35km and 60km offshore while reducing visual impacts.” – Irish Times

Fáilte Ireland

“Irelands’ authenticity is central to our attractiveness and a key element of that is our landscape and seascape (views from the coast out to sea and from the water back to the coast). This should be recognised and be core to the formulation of future National Marine Planning Framework policies and objectives”. – Marine Spatial Planning Submission

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Fishing

Local fishing

Fishing is not permitted inside offshore wind farms. Commercial fishing, an activity central to many communities in Waterford for centuries, has been identified by many as the industry most likely to be affected by the development of Offshore Wind. – Marine Policy, P58,88–97

Displacement of species

“Construction and operation of offshore wind farms can disturb mobile and sessile species, leading to displacement of or reduction in fish and shellfish resources.” – European Marine Spatial Planning

EU experience

Dutch fishermen are finding themselves crowded out of fishing grounds due to offshore wind, they are seeing damage to marine life, little to no fish, and the catching of dead porpoises. – The Guardian, Fishing News, FiskerForum

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Who?

We are a group of community volunteers from Waterford. Our group includes architects, fishermen, environmentalists and business owners. To join us, please contact us here, we’d love to hear from you.

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Your Representatives

Click to contact:

Darragh O’Brien – Offshore planning
Eamon Ryan – Environment
Catherine Martin –  Tourism / Gaeltacht
Waterford Tds
Waterford Councillors

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