Scotland green-lights Kincardine Floating Wind Farm

Laura Hodgetts

Permission granted for eight three-bladed horizontal axis wind turbine generators

TAGS:

The Scottish government has granted a planning consent for the eight-turbine Kincardine floating wind farm located around 15 kilometres south-east of Aberdeen.

The floating wind farm project is expected to support the creation of around 110 jobs during assembly, installation and through ongoing operations and maintenance activities, the Scottish government said.

World-leading innovation  

The Kincardine wind farm has a permitted generating capacity of up to 50MW and will be comprised of eight three-bladed horizontal axis wind turbine generators.

Paul Wheelhouse, Scotland’s Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, said that the project will further cement the country’s position as one of the world’s leading nations in the innovation and deployment of floating offshore wind.

‘If the technology can be demonstrated at scale, it has huge potential to help Scotland meet its energy needs and to develop a supply chain that can service opportunities elsewhere in Europe and in markets such as South East Asia and North America,” Minister Wheelhouse said.

‘With 25% of Europe’s offshore wind potential, and through development with due regard to our natural environment, Scotland is uniquely and strongly positioned to maximise the economic and environmental benefits that the technology can deliver, which will help us progress towards our carbon emission reduction targets,’ he added.

How it will work

The floating wind farm is being developed by Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Limited, a joint venture between Pilot Offshore Renewables and Atkins.

The project does not feature an offshore substation, as the wind turbines would be connected directly to the grid at Redmoss onshore substation via two transmission lines.

RYA position

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) continues to monitor the developments in Round 3 wind farms and Round 2 extensions in order to assess their potential impact.

A spokesman said: ‘Our intent is to ensure that developers fully understand, and take account of, recreational boating activity and we meet regularly with all the developers to discuss navigational safety.’