To power 1.6 million homes, Ireland plans wind farm in Atlantic

DUBLIN, Ireland: Bold plans call for Ireland to power 1.6 million homes from electricity generated by offshore wind farms within the next ten years, it has been announced.

On Friday, Ireland's Electricity Supply Board (ESB) said it would convert Moneypoint coal power station in Clare into a multibillion-euro green energy site.

Moneypoint will include a 1.4-GW floating wind farm built offshore from the Clare and Kerry coasts, becoming the Atlantic Ocean's first offshore wind farm.

Plans call for the wind farm to manufacture floating wind turbines, include hydrogen production, storage and power generation, along with operating a major power management facility.

Officials said the entire facility will be online within ten years, while creating hundreds of jobs.

Ireland currently imports 80 percent of its oil, coal and gas, but the proposed Atlantic wind farms "turns this figure on its head," according to ESB chief executive Pat O'Doherty, while allowing Ireland to become a net exporter of renewable energy, as quoted in electrek.com.

Ireland has set a goal to reach 100 percent green energy production by 2050.