Denmark's Orsted and Irish utility ESB on June 1 signed an agreement to jointly develop an Irish offshore wind portfolio, the Danish wind energy group said in a statement.

Orsted will become a 50% partner in a series of offshore wind development projects off Ireland's coast, the company said.

The partnership has the potential to deliver up to five gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy and complementary renewable hydrogen projects, it added.

The Irish Government aims to generate 80% of the country's electricity from renewable sources, including to reach 5 GW offshore wind by 2030, the Irish minister for enterprise, trade and employment, Simon Coveney, was quoted as saying.