Ocean Winds submits onshore application for 2-GW Caledonia project

The Ocean Winds joint venture (JV) between EDP Renewables (ELI:EDPR) and Engie SA (EPA:ENGI) said on Wednesday it has started the process of submitting applications for its 2-GW Caledonia offshore wind project in Scotland.

The developer has completed the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), covering both onshore and offshore infrastructure, and has submitted a consent application for the onshore transmission works, including substation and underground cables, to Aberdeenshire Council.

Marine Scotland is expected to open consultation on the application for the offshore works in the coming weeks.

“This is the project’s biggest milestone, coming after three years of work to develop the project and complete the Environmental Impact Assessment,” remarked Ruaridh Danaher, Caledonia onshore consent manager.

The Caledonia site was awarded to Ocean Winds under the Scottish government’s ScotWind process and will be the company’s third offshore wind farm in the Moray Firth and the UK as a whole, adding to Moray East, which when live in 2020, and Moray West, which generated first power earlier this year.

The Caledonia project is expected to be operational in 2030.

“Ocean Winds has been investing in the Moray Firth since the commercial dawn of the offshore wind industry in Scotland. This site – neighbouring our existing infrastructure – is in water depths which enables us to use the fixed foundations which we have optimised for low cost, low risk, rapid delivery, and our distance from shore means we can use AC connection technology instead of being at the mercy of global shortages in the HVDC supply chain,” commented Mark Baxter, project director for Caledonia.

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