Renewable energy developer Mainstream Renewable Power has submitted an application for a 450MW offshore wind project off the Fife coast in Scotland.
Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) would be a development consisting of 64 to 125 wind turbines occupying an area of approximately 105 square kilometres on a site lying 15 kilometres off the Fife coast at its closest point to land, in water depths of 45 to 55 metres. The wind farm would deliver enough electricity to power 325,000 homes in a city the size of Edinburgh, or up to 3.7 per cent of Scotland’s electricity demand when fully operational, the company said.
The application, which is now open to consultation until Monday 10 September, follows a three-year process of detailed stakeholder consultation. The company said it is a significant step towards delivering the project into offshore construction in 2015.
The Scottish government’s strategic environmental assessment (SEA) earmarked the site as one of only six in the current Scottish Territorial Waters programme suitable for development. Having secured grid connection in 2010 and an agreement for lease with the Crown Estate in 2011, Mainstream aims to reach financial close in 2013 and be fully operational by the end of 2016.
The development represents an investment of £1.4 billion and is expected to create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs both during construction and during its anticipated 25 years in operation.
Mainstream’s CEO of Offshore Business Andy Kinsella said: “This is a major milestone in the delivery of this offshore wind farm. With over 7,500MW of offshore wind farms in development in the UK and Germany, this demonstrates Mainstream’s ability in selecting the best sites, developing to a high standard and delivering to challenging milestones.
“This project is of strategic importance to Scotland; not only will it supply a significant percentage of the country’s electricity demand [but] it will also help to deliver Scotland’s and the UK’s renewable energy targets in advance of 2020.”
