Traffic Transport and Road Safety Associates Ltd. (TTRSA)

The latest EirGrid Annual Renewable Report launched at the end of September 2010 gave us the positive news that Ireland generated 14% of it's power from renewable resources in 2009, and is on target to increase this to 40% by 2020, much of the additional energy derived from wind power.

One of the main barriers to rapid development in the wind energy sector is bureaucratic and planning obstacles, something that Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, has said that he is committed to tackling.  One possible solution for John Gormley implement in the short term, would be to extend the definition of 'Strategic Infrastructure' in the context of the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act to smaller wind farms.  Our experience has shown that in the Irish onshore context, wind farms of 10 - 20 megawatts are far more likely than wind farms of 50 turbines or 100 megawatts covered by the Act.

Energy Minister Eamon Ryan has also voiced our own thinking that Ireland should be a net energy exporter in the future ... exporting renewable energy to the point at which 'Ireland's wind and waves can bring money back into the country'. Also the end of September: wind power generating capacity broke through the 5GW level with the commissioning of the 300MW Thanet offshore wind farm; the Scottish Government announced that it has calculated that it can achieve 'significantly higher levels of renewables' than it's 50% target by 2020; and, Northern Ireland has already surpassed it's renewables obligation, meeting 8.7% of demand from renewable energy, compared to a target of 6.3% by 2012/13.

TTRSA has worked with a number of companies on the development of wind generation capacity.  Our work has included route assessments for the delivery of turbine towers, blades and generators to site, and Road Safety Audits for improvements to the local road network, often the final link in the delivery infrastructure chain.  To enquire whether TTRSA can assist with the delivery of your project call Ireland - 015143748 or UK 02890437042, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

14 October 2010