Proposals for offshore windfarm take step forward

Plans for a £150million offshore windfarm near Aberdeen took a major step forward yesterday after harbour bosses and helicopter firms dropped their safety objections.

Industry body Oil & Gas UK and Aberdeen Harbour Board said they were satisfied the scheme would not pose a risk after the company behind it agreed to site the 11 turbines away from the city’s port towards an area off Blackdog.

The latest boost for the project was announced at a breakfast to mark the start of the All-Energy show in Aberdeen by Iain Todd, renewables champion for the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), which is spearheading the scheme with Swedish utility firm Vattenfall.

The project was originally scaled down from 33 turbines after Donald Trump threatened to drop his plans to create a £1billion golf resort at the Menie Estate. A subsequent proposal was put forward for up to 23 turbines in a grid formation between one and three miles out to sea, stretching from Bridge of Don to Blackdog.

A year ago the project was scaled down further, to 11 turbines, to help allay fears about shipping safety and helicopter operations.

The project leaders would not say yesterday where exactly the 11 turbines would be located off Blackdog, though they are still in the original agreed “footprint” area.

Last night, Mr Trump’s team said it would need to see the revised plan before commenting.

The windfarm, to be known as the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, now faces two main hurdles if it is to be operational by 2012.

The scheme still needs to secure final European approval for £36million of funding and consent from the Scottish Government.

The plans include testing facilities that will be used to assess the next generation of offshore wind turbines, as well as hunt for new ways to create energy from wind.

The proposal could create hundreds of jobs.

Full Story: The Press & Journal