Dounreay Trì Limited have been granted planning consent for the installation of a novel floating windfarm nine kilometers off the Northern Coast of Scotland by the Scottish Government. The decision means that the facility will achieve the necessary Renewables Obligation accreditation by the end of the month to allow it to proceed, in what will be a major boost for Scotland.
The Scottish Government has approved Dounreay Trì Limited’s application to construct an offshore floating wind farm capable of generating 10-MW of electricity.
The prototype facility, which will be constructed at Global Energy Group’s Nigg facility in the Highlands, will put Scotland at the forefront of developing this innovative technology which can be deployed in deep water rather than just in the shallower waters, such as those off the East Coast.
The twin turbine project will be capable of generating 10 MW of electricity, enough to power around 8,000 homes. By opening up the deeper waters off the North and West Coast of Scotland the new floating wind farms can make a significant contribution to helping Scotland meet its renewable energy targets.
Welcoming the granting of planning consent Jack Farnham, Senior Developer for RES & Consents Manager for Dounreay Tri, said, “We are delighted that Scottish Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse MSP, has granted planning permission for Dounreay Tri. It will be a major boost for Scotland as not only will this facility be constructed and maintained in Scotland but it opens up the possibility for Scotland in leading the world in this technology. This type of facility is potentially deployable in many more locations around the world than conventional offshore wind.”
“It is fantastic news for Hexicon that the Dounreay Trì project has permission to proceed. We are grateful that Scotland is taking positive steps to lead in the development of this innovative technology,” said Marcus Thor, the Dounreay Trì Project Director. “Hexicon is encouraged that this demonstration plant will lead to the deployment of many more floating wind farms around the world.”
The next steps for the project is to formally reach the final investment decision and then it needs to be constructed, installed and commissioned by September 30, 2018 under the terms of the Obligation Certification regime.
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Projects
