Scotland’s biggest offshore wind farm, Seagreen, has reached full capacity, generating enough electricity to power around two-thirds of Scottish households. The £3bn project based off the Angus coast is composed of 114 massive turbines and has been in the making for over a decade. Seagreen is expected to displace over two million tonnes of CO2 annually, making a significant contribution to reducing the UK’s dependence on fossil fuels for generating electricity. However, according to operator SSE, if there are to be sufficient turbines to meet the government’s climate change objectives, consenting times need to be halved.
The turbine array is situated around 17 miles from the shore in water 58 metres deep, making it the deepest fixed wind farm in the world. It will support roughly 700 long-term employment positions, half of which will be located in Scotland, with approximately 60 full-time roles based in the Montrose port’s service facility. The first power was generated in August 2021, and it took another year for the project to be deemed completed.
Seagreen is a joint venture between TotalEnergies and SSE Renewables. Paul Cooley, SSE Renewables’ offshore wind director, told BBC Scotland News that the choices made now will determine whether the Scottish and UK governments meet their 2030 goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He claims that if things don’t accelerate, they will fall short of their targets, making it critical to move more quickly regarding difficulties such as grids, agreements and pricing in the supply chain.
The UK’s offshore wind volume is expanding quickly, with the first electricity generated from SSE’s 277-turbine Dogger Bank project off the East Yorkshire coast last week. Construction on the Neart na Gaoith wind farm off the Fife coast is also well underway, despite legal challenges from RSPB Scotland concerning migratory birds. There is a significant pipeline of projects in Scotland thanks to abundant wind, according to Claire Mack of industry body Scottish Renewables, who claims there are more than 20 offshore wind schemes leased within Scotland
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More