News that the UK and Ireland have announced closer collaboration on subsea energy infrastructure has been welcomed by industry.

At the recent inaugural UK-Ireland Summit, held on 6 March, a new commitment was announced for closer collaboration on energy security to harness the full potential of the Irish and Celtic seas.   

Through a new data sharing arrangement, the UK and Irish governments will lay the groundwork for commercial developers to increase offshore energy by cutting red tape and minimising the burden of maritime and environmental consent processes for developers.  

This will speed up developments and mobilise investments in offshore energy infrastructure.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said: “Energy security and national security are two sides of the same coin, that is why we must work with our allies and partners across the world to protect the hardworking British people from external factors driving up household bills. 

“As our closest neighbour our partnership with Ireland is testament to the importance of working with international partners to deliver for people at home.  

“Now more than ever we must work with likeminded partners in the pursuit of global peace, prosperity and security.”

The move has been welcomed by engineering and professional services firm WSP.

Chris Cowland, head of offshore wind for the UK and Ireland at WSP, said: “Initiatives like this, taken by both governments, are crucial for accelerating the energy transition.

“Not only do they help de-risk our energy supply, but they also highlight the importance of a collaborative approach to delivering the transition. We can't achieve this in isolation.

“To reduce our reliance on gas-powered generation to less than 5%, we must embrace new ways of working, including leveraging interconnectors between geographical locations."

Cowland said the sector “urgently" needs to shorten the time it takes to energise power projects.

“Collaborative models that streamline the consenting process will attract investment and allow technology and data-driven AI to address critical challenges, such as the skills shortage and supply chain bottlenecks," he added. “This, in turn, will have a positive ripple effect across the entire sector.”