2 minute read | August.01.2023
The Irish renewables-focused, integrated utility Energia Group and Norwegian offshore wind company Vårgrønn have announced a partnership to co-develop offshore wind projects off the coast of Ireland. Orrick represented Energia.
THE COMPANY
Energia Group plays a significant role in energy transition in Ireland.
The company is a long-term energy provider and infrastructure investor that “supplies approximately 17 percent of the island of Ireland’s total electricity requirements,” the company said. It supplies more than 828,000 homes and businesses with electricity and gas and is responsible for about 20 percent of installed wind power in Ireland.
Vårgrønn is an offshore wind company powering energy transition through the development, construction, operation and ownership of offshore wind assets and is a joint venture between Plenitude (Eni) and HitecVision.
THE IMPACT
The partnership aims to contribute to the Irish government’s target of at least 5 GW of new offshore wind by 2030.
It will initially focus on Ireland’s south and east coast, where Energia Renewables – part of Energia Group – has completed extensive development work over the last four years at a North Celtic Sea site (with capacity of up to 900 MW) and a South Irish Sea site (with capacity of up to 900 MW).
“Through the development work completed to date, our partnership is uniquely placed to deliver new offshore capacity on the south and east coasts by 2030, and in so doing, make a significant contribution to Ireland’s offshore wind targets,” Energia Group CEO Ian Thom said.
“At a time of significant regulatory change in Irish offshore wind, we were delighted to have been entrusted by Energia to deliver on this important mandate for them.” Evan Stergoulis, Co-Head of Orrick’s Global Renewables practice said.
THE TEAM
Orrick’s Evan Stergoulis led a team that included Barry Cahill and April Lord as well as Rebecca Grevitt, Junaid O’Balogun and Joel Othen-Lawson.
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