EDF Renewables Ireland has signed a partnership with Simply Blue Group to develop Western Star and Emerald floating wind power projects in Ireland. The two companies will develop the projects in a 50:50 joint venture partnership.

The partnership is in line with the Irish government's target of 7GW of offshore wind power by 2030. The Western Star project will be developed 35km off the west coast of County Clare with an estimated capacity of 1.35GW. It will use a new floating technology to allow turbines to be installed in water depths of more than 100 metres.

The Emerald Project will be located in the Celtic Sea off the south coast of Ireland. It will have a generating capacity of up to 1.3GW and the turbines will be located between 35km and 60km from the coast. The combined capacity of the two projects will be enough to provide clean electricity to about 2 million homes in the country.

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables UK and Ireland, said Emerald and Western Star will complement our flagship, fixed base, Codling Wind Park development on the east coast of Ireland, Diversify our offshore portfolio in Ireland and strengthen our position as a key player in the Irish and UK offshore markets. Last month, Ireland won contracts for four projects with a total capacity of 3.1GW in the country's first offshore wind auction.

In a joint venture with Fred Olsen Seawind, EDF Renewables was one of the winners of the auction. The joint venture will develop a 1.3GW Codling wind farm in an area between 13km and 22km off the coast of Wicklow.Editor/XingWentao