Offshore renewable energy usage in Northern Ireland took another step forward yesterday, with the appointment of a contractor to conduct further viability studies.

Energy Minister Arlene Foster has sanctioned Faber Maunsell, a major UK consultancy, to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of offshore wind and marine renewables in Irish waters.

A SEA is the study of environmental issues that must be taken into early consideration when developing plans and programmes with a view to promoting sustainable development.

Minister Foster said: "Increasing the contribution of renewables in our energy mix is an imperative for Northern Ireland.

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"To date, onshore wind has provided us with most of our renewable electricity but we must now seek to develop more of our natural assets, as we look to the future.

Ms Foster cited the recent development of the Marine Current Turbine project at Strangford Lough as putting Northern Ireland on the map for tidal marine renewables.

She said: "This bodes well for the exploitation of tidal resources, particularly off the north coast.

"Such developments could represent hundreds of millions of pounds of inward investment and offer the potential for more green collar jobs here, as well as giving us a secure source of energy and reducing our green house gas emissions," added the Minister.

Ian Pritchard, Head of Offshore Operations at The Crown Estate, which owns the seabed, said: "As owners of the seabed, we will be working with the Department of Enterprise over the coming months, as the SEA progresses, to develop the programme involving a competitive application process for commercial projects in 2010.

"In the interim, The Crown Estate, DETI and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency will consider applications from developers who wish either to deploy test or demonstration stage devices."

(PR)