On 26 November 2025, Barrie McMullin, Project Manager for Ireland, took part in a roundtable discussion hosted by the Scottish Government with Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney MSP.
The strategic roundtable, convened by the Scottish Government Ireland Office, brought together developers to share insights on the evolving offshore wind landscape across Scotland and Ireland. Discussions focused on identifying shared opportunities and challenges, exploring how Scotland can support Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions, and considering practical steps to deepen collaboration between governments and industry.
Both the Scottish and Irish Governments have recognised that closer cooperation will be critical to unlocking offshore wind at scale. A positive example is the growing Ireland–Scotland cross-border collaboration, which is already addressing key issues around supply chain development, regulation and planning. Flotation Energy sees a clear opportunity to contribute to this agenda by bringing our expertise in floating offshore wind, with the potential to support the Irish market initially through the delivery of a floating demonstrator project.
A transformative week for Ireland’s offshore wind sector
The roundtable took place during a pivotal week for Ireland’s offshore wind industry, marked by three major developments that together signal growing momentum and confidence in the sector.
Milestone auction success
Ireland’s second Offshore Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (ORESS) auction demonstrated strong international confidence in the country’s renewable energy potential. ESB and Ørsted secured the 900MW Tonn Nua project off the south coast with a competitive bid of €98.72/MWh, representing an important step forward in delivering Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions and long-term decarbonisation goals.
Strengthening cross-border collaboration
The launch of the Ireland–Scotland Bilateral Cooperation Framework 2030 further underlined the shared commitment of both nations to climate action and energy transition. The framework establishes a structured approach to collaboration across offshore wind development, research and innovation, infrastructure planning, supply chain growth and skills development. Annual events and knowledge-sharing initiatives will support joint progress in scaling renewable energy and advancing emerging technologies, including hydrogen.
Accelerating infrastructure delivery
The Irish Government published its Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan, aimed at removing regulatory bottlenecks and embedding a delivery-first culture across government. Proposed legal and regulatory reforms are designed to streamline approvals for nationally significant projects, while enhanced public engagement will help build trust and transparency. Achieving Ireland’s target of 80% renewable electricity will require a step-change in delivery, including tripling grid capacity and developing an offshore grid.
Looking ahead
Taken together, these developments point to a maturing offshore wind landscape in Ireland, one that increasingly values collaboration, long-term planning and delivery certainty. Engagements such as the roundtable with First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney are an important part of this progress, enabling open dialogue between governments and industry.
Flotation Energy remains committed to working collaboratively across borders, sharing expertise and supporting practical solutions that help accelerate offshore wind deployment. By strengthening partnerships between Scotland and Ireland, the sector can unlock shared value, build resilient supply chains and deliver the clean energy transition at the scale and pace required.
