Two offshore wind projects set to create thousands of jobs and inject billions into the Scottish supply chain have secured key planning approvals in Aberdeenshire.
Ocean Winds’ 2GW Caledonia project and the 1GW Buchan Offshore Wind development have both received onshore planning consent from Aberdeenshire Council for vital cable and substation infrastructure linked to their ScotWind schemes.
However, amid the good news, the Scottish wind sector was also dealt a blow yesterday after Chinese turbine giant Ming Yang confirmed it is now looking to build a European manufacturing facility outside Scotland after the UK Government effectively blocked its plans for a Scottish site on security grounds.
For Caledonia, Aberdeenshire Council approved an underground cable corridor linking the project’s consented substation at Burnside to the planned new SSEN Transmission substation at Greens.
Ocean Winds said the project, located adjacent to its Moray East and Moray West developments in the Moray Firth, will be capable of powering the equivalent of two million homes annually.
“We welcome Aberdeenshire Council’s decision to grant consent for this important onshore infrastructure, which represents another significant step forward for the Caledonia Offshore Wind Farm,” said Mark Baxter, Caledonia project director.
“The approved underground cable connection is essential to enabling the project to connect into the electricity transmission network and deliver renewable energy at scale, supporting Scotland’s and the UK’s energy transition ambitions.
“We would like to thank all stakeholders, consultees and local communities who engaged constructively throughout the planning process.”
He added: “The Caledonia project marks another major milestone in the continued development of the Moray Firth as a nationally significant clean energy hub.
“By building on the success of Moray East and Moray West, our investment in Caledonia will deliver vital infrastructure to strengthen the UK’s electricity network, support hundreds of skilled jobs across the region, and reinforce Scotland’s leading role in driving the transition to secure, homegrown renewable energy.”
Meanwhile, Buchan Offshore Wind secured consent for a landfall at Rattray Head and a 20-kilometre underground cable route to a new substation near Peterhead. The floating offshore wind farm, located around 75 kilometres north-east of Fraserburgh, is expected to generate enough electricity to power around one million homes.
Developers said the project could see more than £900 million invested in Scotland’s manufacturing sector and supply chain, while supporting around 2,900 jobs during peak construction and almost 300 long-term operational roles.
“We welcome this timely determination by Aberdeenshire Council, which represents another significant step forward for Buchan Offshore Wind,” said Clare Lavelle, project director for Buchan Offshore Wind.
“Securing consent for our onshore infrastructure reflects the careful design work and extensive engagement undertaken to reduce environmental impacts while enabling this major renewable energy project to connect to the grid.
“This project has the potential to be an anchor for large-scale manufacturing in Scotland, supporting thousands of new jobs and unlocking substantial investment in the supply chain, while delivering home-grown energy at scale for years to come.”
She added: “Securing timely offshore and onshore consents is critical to unlocking the significant inward investment this transformative project will generate.
“By paving the way for the manufacture of Scotland’s first concrete floating foundations the project will contribute to the wider development of industrial capability and the Scottish floating offshore wind supply chain.”
The approvals came as Ming Yang Smart Energy confirmed it is scouting locations in Europe, including Spain, for a new manufacturing base after plans for a £1.5 billion Scottish factory were paused.
“We want to build and manufacture our technology here in Europe with a European workforce,” Horatio Evers, chief executive of Ming Yang Europe, told Reuters.
“We would invest in a factory in a country, if we have the guarantee that our turbines are eligible for the market.”