Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL) has welcomed the decision by Marine Scotland to grant consent to the £3bn Beatrice offshore wind farm project, situated in the Outer Moray Firth.
The project consent marks a positive step forward for BOWL, and it will now assess how to progress Beatrice over the coming months, taking account of all of the public policy, procurement and other issues that have to be considered before a final investment decision can be made.
The wind farm has the potential to generate up to 750MW of renewable energy and bring a range of socio-economic opportunities through construction and operation, helping to create a new industry in the Moray Firth area.
If BOWL decides to go ahead with the wind farm, it is expected to support a significant number of jobs during the construction phase, generate long term employment in the Moray Firth area throughout the operational lifetime of the offshore wind farm and create opportunities for local and Scottish businesses which will be easily accessible through SSE’s Open4Business Portal for the Highlands and Islands / Moray.
Richard Escott, Head of Offshore Development for SSE Renewables , said: “The project could represent a substantial investment in the Moray Firth region and could bring significant benefits and exciting opportunities to the local economy through construction and operation. BOWL will continue to engage closely with all key stakeholders, including both the UK and Scottish governments, to address the commercial and regulatory challenges and enable what would be an important asset for the UK energy system, Scottish offshore wind industry and Moray Firth communities to progress.”
Ronnie Bonnar, Managing Director of Repsol Nuevas Energias UK Limited , said: “The project could provide the UK with a significant new generation resource, which therefore helps meet the country’s energy security and climate change objectives.”
Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd (BOWL) is a joint venture partnership formed between SSE Renewables (75%) and Repsol Nuevas Energias UK (25%).
Press release, March 21, 2014; Image: SSE