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North-east key to delivering Europe’s offshore wind potential ‘more cost effectively and sustainably’

A leading European energy company has hailed Aberdeen City and Shire as an emerging centre of excellence for delivering the UK and Europe’s offshore wind targets ‘more cost effectively and sustainably’.

Vattenfall also credited Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) as a key driving force behind the region’s offshore wind capabilities.

David Hodkinson, UK Country Manager for Vattenfall which is behind ground-breaking offshore wind farm projects across the UK including Aberdeen, said: "Aberdeen City and Shire, with its wealth of experience working offshore in oil and gas and fisheries, is emerging as an important centre of excellence and delivery for the UK's young offshore wind sector.

“AREG spotted this opportunity several years ago and it has done a great deal to ensure that the region is well positioned to help deliver offshore wind's European potential more cost effectively and sustainably."

Mr Hodkinson is to be guest speaker at an AREG members’ event today (Thursday, April 7) when he will give an insight into Vattenfall’s industry-leading offshore wind developments including the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), off Aberdeen bay, and the Thanet development which is the largest operational offshore wind farm in the world.

"Vattenfall is grateful to AREG for the opportunity to provide its members with an update on our extensive offshore wind activity around the UK,” said Mr Hodkinson. “As well as the pioneering EOWDC, which is being developed in partnership with AREG and Technip, Vattenfall is operating two wind farms off the Kent coast - one of which is the Thanet - and building another in the Irish Sea, off Cumbria.

“We are also in partnership with ScottishPower Renewables to develop a major wind farm off the East Anglia coast with the potential to meet the equivalent annual power demand of five million UK households."

Morag McCorkindale, AREG’s chief operating officer, said: “Vattenfall’s recognition of Aberdeen City and Shire’s potential to become a major player in the offshore wind market is an extremely encouraging endorsement of the region’s offshore expertise and capabilities. It also underlines the strategic importance of the EOWDC which will accelerate the development of offshore wind in Scotland as well as the UK and Europe.

“We are therefore delighted that Vattenfall, which is one of the UK’s biggest wind power operators, is to share valuable knowledge and experience gained from leading offshore wind projects with AREG members.”

AREG is an innovative private-public partnership which is actively working to position Aberdeen City and Shire in the vanguard of global sustainable energy. Its 160-strong membership has an impressive range of energy experience and expertise which encompasses every sector of renewable energy including onshore and offshore wind, marine and hydro, bio, solar, geothermal energy and hydrogen and fuel cells.

For more information about AREG, visit www.aberdeenrenewables.com

For more information about Vattenfall, visit www.vattenfall.co.uk

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