The reNEWS Podcast

Ireland has big ambitions in offshore wind with a 5GW target for 2030. While few believe that is possible due to grid and permitting delays, it is expected that projects will enter construction in the coming years. So, what about the country's supply chain? Are there ports and other facilities available? What type of companies are available to work on the first projects? What are the policy measures that have worked elsewhere that might be replicated in Ireland? Norman Skillen, UK and Ireland general manager at Jan De Nul, Insight Marine founder Paul Doherty and RenewableUK policy manager Laoiseach Scullion join a live episode of The Renews Podcast at the Renewable Energy Expo 2026 in Dublin to discuss these topics and more.

Reporter Michael Lee-Murphy joins the reNEWS podcast from Taipei where he is attending this week's series of flagship energy events. Lee-Murphy reports on the current health of the island's offshore wind market and speaks to Siemens Gamesa APAC general manager Niels Steenberg, Westwood's Hui Min Foong, Skyborn chief development officer Adam Thomsen and CIP Taiwan managing director Marina Hsu.

A dispatch from the RenewableUK and Scottish Renewables Floating Offshore Wind 2026 conference in Aberdeen. Hear Scottish First Minister John Swinney's view on what the UK government must do to unleash offshore wind north of the border. Our offshore wind editor Paul Stephen meanwhile talks to Richard Copeland, the project director of the Pentland floating offshore wind farm, about the cost challenge facing the sector. Rob Gilbert, GB Energy director of supply chain, also addresses the topic on the podcast.

At WindEnergy Hamburg 2026, the German onshore and offshore wind sectors have sounded alarm bells about future growth. Hear from the fair from reNEWS senior editor Sian Crampsie, who outlines the onshore concerns her reporting has revealed. Offshore wind editor Paul Stephen meanwhile brings listeners up to date on the offshore news from the show, including a chat with Orsted chief construction officer Patrick Harnett about the newly-inaugurated Borkum Riffgrund 3.

Scott Sutherland, the project director of the proposed 1.3GW Codling wind farm in the Irish Sea, joins The reNEWS Podcast for a walk along the County Wicklow coast where he one day hopes to look offshore and see turbines spinning. He joins our editor Stephen Dunne, who hails from the area and walks the stretch every day, for a chat about the project, the challenges on permitting and grid connection agreements, as well as CfDs awarded in 2023. Sutherland also talks about the wider importance of Codling and other so-called Phase 1 wind farms for the country's offshore wind ambitions.

After a rough ride into the North Sea, reNEWS Editor Stephen Dunne talks to Flotation Energy about how it is applying learnings from the 50MW Kincardine floating wind farm off Aberdeen to its planned 560MW Green Volt scheme. Hear how large-scale repair work has been undertaken on the operational site and the new clarity the developer has got on the larger project's grid connection as well as RenewableUK's views on the potential for large-scale deployment of floating offshore wind.

Co-chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council Adam Morrison speaks to reNEWS Editor Stephen Dunne about his belief that the UK sector has the strategic fundamentals to thrive despite challenges on the horizon. Morrison outlines his hopes for AR8, how delivery risks must be dealt with and why he believes offshore wind costs must be back in play.

During a visit to the Port of Leith, ESB head of offshore wind Paul Lennon talks about the status of the construction campaign for the 1.1GW Inch Cape offshore wind farm. He tells reNEWS Editor Stephen Dunne about the 18 jackets currently marshalled at the Scottish port, what the company has taken from building the troubled 450MW NNG project and how Inch Cape has got to the point of being on track for first power later this year.

Orsted country chair Benj Sykes gives reNEWS editor Stephen Dunne his views on the post-FID challenges facing developers in the UK. During an in-depth interview, Sykes also outlines how the sector needs to sharpen up its story-telling ability and talks about the Danish company's plans beyond the under-construction Hornsea 3.

Today's episode is sponsored by leading offshore wind recruitment agency LSP Renewables.In this dispatch from Global Offshore Wind 2026 in Manchester, reNEWS Editor Stephen Dunne talks to industry figures about a fresh push by government and others to get the sector to reduce costs. The episode features contributions from ScottishPower Renewables chief executive Charlie Jordan, Nadara global head of offshore Richard Britton and Tone Langengen, a senior policy advisor at the Tony Blair Institute.