Today heralds the dawning of a new age of clean, green energy

Marine Minister Frank Fahey

When completed, the 200 turbines will produce 10% of the country's electricity needs.

The Marine Minister, Frank Fahey, said the 700-million euro ($630m) development would have three times the generating capacity of all current offshore wind farms worldwide.

New farm facts

200 80-metre-tall turbines 520 MW output 10% of Ireland's energy needs Will cut 13 million tonnes of greenhouse gases

Mr Fahey said the wind farm would do much to help Ireland achieve its targets under the Kyoto Protocol on limiting global warming, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 13 million tonnes per year.

He said the 80-metre- (260-feet-) tall turbines would be visible from the shore in clear weather but would not detract from the area's scenic beauty.

The plant on the 27-kilometre- (16-mile-) long Arklow sandbank will be built by a private Irish company called Eirtricity. It will be about seven kilometres from the shore at its nearest point.

No objections

"Today heralds the dawning of a new age of clean, green energy, harvested from two plentiful renewable sources, the sea and the wind," said Mr Fahey at a Foreshore Lease signing ceremony in Dublin.

Wind power league table

Germany: 8,000 MW US: 4,150 MW Spain: 3,300 MW Denmark: 2,500 MW

Eirtricity hopes to begin construction work in the Spring, with the first phase of the project, generating 60 megawatts, going into operation in the autumn.

One megawatt of wind-generating capacity typically will satisfy the electricity needs of 350 households in an industrial society, or roughly 1,000 people.

The plant's capacity will ultimately reach 520 megawatts.

The state will receive up to 1.9 million euros ($1.7m) a year from Eirtricity in rentals and royalties.

Mr Fahey said there had been wide public consultation on the plan and no objections. Eight submissions had been received, all of them in favour.

Arklow Bank runs north-south along the coast, with water depths of between five and 25 metres (16-82 feet).

Wind replacing coal

A report published this week said that wind-generated electricity production jumped by 31% last year, making it the most rapidly growing branch of the power industry.

Wind power: Now one of the cheapest forms of energy

The US-based Earth Policy Institute issued figures showing global capacity rising from 17,800 to 23,300 megawatts - enough to satisfy the needs of 23 million people.

Since 1985 the use of coal for power generation has dropped by 9%, while the use of wind has increased by 487%.

US experience shows it is now also one of the cheapest methods of generating electricity, the report says.

In wind electric-generating capacity, Germany leads the world, followed by the US, Spain and Denmark.

The European Wind Energy Association has recently revised its 2010 wind capacity projections for Europe from 40,000 megawatts to 60,000 megawatts.