A high-level roundtable at Stormont has brought together MLAs, industry leaders, and policymakers to strategise on accelerating Northern Ireland's offshore wind sector.

The event, titled Offshore Wind Farm Development: Securing the Benefits for NI, was hosted by RenewableNI in partnership with Ocean Winds.

The discussion focused on the urgent need to transition from aspiration to delivery regarding the region's goal of generating at least 1GW of offshore wind from 2030. Despite the clear ambition, current progress has been noted as lagging behind the targets established in the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan (OREAP).

The potential economic rewards for Northern Ireland are substantial:

Gross Value Added (GVA): Up to £2.4bn over the project lifecycle.

Employment: Over 1,500 highly skilled jobs, including 300 long-term roles in operations and maintenance.

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Community Impact: Annual expenditure of approximately £50m could support coastal communities in locations such as Larne, Foyle, Kilkeel, Ardglass, Coleraine, Warrenpoint, and Belfast.

To maintain investor confidence and momentum, RenewableNI has identified several priority actions. Central to these is the passage of the Offshore Renewable Energy Installation (OREI) Bill within the current Assembly mandate. The Minister recently indicated that while the Bill is planned for the 2026/27 session, immediate legislative clarity is essential to enable decommissioning and deployment frameworks.

Further recommendations from the roundtable include:

• Leasing Timeline: Enabling The Crown Estate to commence a leasing round in Q1 2027.

• Investment Integration: Ensuring Northern Ireland secures its voice within the UK Government's "clean energy superpower" ambition, specifically regarding Great British Energy and the National Wealth Fund.

• Regulatory Frameworks: Establishing statutory time limits for approval processes and developing comprehensive consenting guidelines.

• Infrastructure: The completion of the second North South Interconnector to reduce grid constraints.

• Support Schemes: Including offshore wind in the Renewable Electricity Price Guarantee (REPG) scheme to provide financial certainty for developers.

The event saw active contribution from several MLAs, including Sinéad McLaughlin, Diana Armstrong, Pádraig Delargy, Peter McReynolds, David Honeyford, and Peter Martin.

With Northern Ireland possessing the necessary natural resources and technical talent, RenewableNI continues to urge the Executive to provide the policy clarity required to turn these offshore projects into sustainable prosperity for the region.