| Work Detail |
The projects onshore component includes a substation and underground transmission cables.
Ocean Winds (OW) has submitted its first planning consent application for onshore works to Aberdeenshire Council for the 2GW Caledonia offshore wind project in Scotland.
This is subsequent to the completion of the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA).
The project’s onshore component includes a substation and underground cables, essential for transmitting power generated by the offshore wind facility.
OW Caledonia onshore consent manager Ruaridh Danaher said: “This is the project’s biggest milestone, coming after three years of work to develop the project and complete the environmental impact assessment.
“Our intensive investment in the early stages of the project mean that this is high-quality application, based on robust data, reflecting the needs of our stakeholders.
“To enable the project to be considered in full by our stakeholders, the environmental impact assessment report covers both onshore and offshore infrastructure.”
OW noted that Aberdeenshire Council has also initiated a formal public consultation on the application, marking a key phase in the project’s development.
The project, if approved, will be Ocean Winds’ third venture in the Moray Firth area, following the operational Moray East and the recently powered Moray West.
With the addition of Caledonia, the total offshore wind generation capacity in the Moray Firth is expected to double.
OW Caledonia project director Mark Baxter said: “I would like to thank everyone who has helped us reach this major milestone – particularly our stakeholders across the Moray Firth.
“The EIA report contains a huge amount of information to reflect the needs of our stakeholders, reflecting our policy to invest early in information in order to develop a high-quality application for a sound consent.
“Caledonia is one of the few ScotWind projects which can be built at high speed and low risk in a location where offshore wind is already established and therefore can be a key component of the UK government’s Clean Power by 2030 plans.”
Last month, OW and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance Brazil’s offshore wind energy capabilities. |
