Biggest ever onshore wind pipeline to be announced at Wind Energy Expo 2025

22 October 2025

Results from next offshore wind auction due next month

Around a thousand delegates attending Ireland’s Wind Energy Expo 2025, taking place in the RDS today (22 October) and tomorrow, will hear that the country’s pipeline of onshore projects is now bigger than ever before as industry calls for higher onshore wind targets, while preparing for Ireland’s next offshore auction in November.

The recent establishment of a Clearing House, led personally by the Taoiseach, will help to accelerate the delivery of offshore renewables.

The Expo will be opened by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke TD and the closing address will be delivered on 23 October by Minister Timmy Dooley TD who has special responsibility for Fisheries and the Marine.

Organisers expect more than a hundred exhibitors from the wind energy supply-chain – both domestic and international – including contractors, engineering firms, State agencies and research and academic institutions.

Large delegations from Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain, and from further afield are due to attend as Ireland continues to attract significant investment and supply-chain interest.

Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, said: “We need to support Irish electricity consumers and onshore wind energy is Ireland’s most affordable source of new power.

“That’s why we’re excited to be telling visitors to the Wind Energy Expo 2025 that we have more than 14,000 MW of new projects, spanning from those already with planning permission to those at the start of the development pipeline.

“The more of these projects we deliver, the less we rely on imported fossils fuels, and the better protected Irish families and businesses are from a volatile fossil fuel market.  

“Every month we see wind energy reducing electricity costs. Tripling our existing onshore wind capacity of 5,000 MW is clearly possible and will cut Irish energy bills.

“That’s why we are calling on the Government to set new targets for onshore wind energy of 11,000 MW by 2035 and 15,000 MW by 2040.”

Offshore wind energy

In recent months a renewed focus has been brought to bear by the Government on offshore renewable energy with a high-level Clearing House, led by the Taoiseach, established to remove barriers standing in the way of the country’s clean energy targets. This is ahead of the auction taking place in November for the 900 MW Tonn Nua site off the coast of Waterford.

Mr Cunniffe continued: “We have five offshore projects in the planning system right now and it is critical we see decisions on their applications as early as possible in 2026.

“The welcome additional funding the Government provided for the planning system in Budget 2026 should be used to ensure the applications for these projects are thoroughly scrutinised and robust decisions made quickly.

“There is also a lot of interest in what we believe will be a successful and competitive auction in November. Work has already started on a new map of Ireland’s maritime area which will, by the end of 2027, identify 10-15 new wind farm sites. This long-term pipeline is what investors and the supply-chain need to see to invest in Ireland.”

Strategic Partners

RWE, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, is once again a Strategic Partner for the Expo, along with Safety On; Green Tech Skillnet; Keltbray; H&MV Engineering; Enterprise Ireland; the Government of Ireland and Fáilte Ireland. ReNews is the Expo’s media partner.

Peter Lefroy, RWE Head of Offshore Development, UK West & Ireland said: “RWE is proud to once again be a strategic sponsor of the Wind Energy Expo Ireland 2025. With a strong global portfolio of renewable energy projects across all technologies and with a strong interest in Ireland, we look forward to engaging with attendees and building lasting partnerships.

“By combining our global expertise with local delivery, we aim to collaborate with suppliers, contractors, and service partners to help power Ireland’s renewable future.”