Case Study: Preparing for Ireland’s Wave Energy Converter Project

Intertek has successfully completed the management of two years of marine megafauna and bird surveys on behalf of Saoirse Wave Energy Ltd, a joint venture between Simply Blue Group and ESB.

Ahead of the proposed Wave Energy Converter ('WEC') Project on the west coast of Ireland, we have organised aerial site surveys and terrestrial landfall surveys to quantify the bird, marine mammal and other marine megafauna populations that are using the site. This data will contribute to the ecological impact assessment. As well as delivering the surveys over the two-year period, we have also been responsible for processing and quality assurance of the bird and marine megafauna data, including habitat modelling analysis and species mapping.

When developed, the Saoirse project will be the first array-scale wave energy conversion test and demonstration project in Ireland and the largest in the world. It has been designed to prove the viability of WEC technology through long-term deployment in the harsh, energetic conditions of the North Atlantic. Wave energy has long been recognised as a tremendous potential renewable energy resource, allowing for the balance of grid demand while also enabling the transition from fossil fuel energy production. The Saoirse project will allow Ireland to be among the first commercial users of this new clean energy resource, helping the country achieve its net zero goals by 2050.