Mark Ennis, Airtricity director of strategy and public policy, said: “The delays in the planning process in Northern Ireland have been a source of significant frustration for some time and it is an issue we have been raising with the department on an ongoing basis.

“At Airtricity we believe Northern Ireland is a natural environment for harnessing renewable energy sources.

“We have the wind, we have support from the politicians and the public in general.

“Wind has proven to be a sustainable and affordable alternative to fossil fuels and it is critical, now more than ever, that new forms of energy are developed.”

Projects that Airtricity are currently awaiting decisions on: Slieve Kirk, London-derry (48MW) which was submitted November 2004, but delays are due to issues outside of Planning Service control, and a decision is expected in July.

An application for the project at Tievenameenta, Strabane (48MW), was submitted January 2005. Further information was submitted December 2007, and a decision expected in August.

A decision is also expected in September in the 30MW wind project at Glenconway Limavady, submitted in December 2006, with further information to be submitted next month.