One of Scotland's largest offshore windfarms opens off coast of Moray

One of Scotland’s largest offshore windfarms is to open off the North East coast.

Ocean Winds’ Moray West offshore windfarm, will generate up to 882MW output, enough to power 1.3 million homes – approximately half of Scotland’s households.

The facility, 13 miles off the coast of Buckie, will be switched on by Scottish secretary Ian Murray on Thursday Apr 24.

Upon full power, Ocean Winds will become the largest offshore wind operator in Scotland, running two windfarms off the North East coast and with a third in development.

The project has created around 1,500 jobs during the construction phase and takes the UK closer to delivering the PM’s Plan for Change by 2030.

The developer, Ocean Winds, has used more than 80 UK suppliers in the project to date, which has involved installing the biggest turbines yet in British waters, spanning up to 257m above sea level.

Murray said: “It will be a huge moment today when I switch on full power for the Moray West Windfarm.

“Investment like that being made by Ocean Winds is absolutely central to ensuring that Scotland and its workers benefit from the skilled jobs and economic growth that clean energy can bring.

“With Great British energy located in Aberdeen, and billions of pounds of investment on the table, Scotland is at the very heart of the UK Government’s drive to make the UK a clean energy superpower.”

During his visit to Ocean Winds, Murray will meet staff who have transitioned into renewables after careers in the oil and gas industry and the UK’s armed forces.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Offshore wind is the backbone of our plans for clean power by 2030, as the UK is blessed with thousands of miles of coastline.

“Developments like Moray West take us a step closer to getting off the fossil fuel rollercoaster and help deliver on our Plan for Change, protecting households from volatile gas prices and creating good jobs.”

After switching on the windfarm to full power, Mr Murray will travel to Aberdeen. There he will visit Sarens PSG’ newly opened £1.6m training facility and ETZ Ltd.

Sarens PSG were involved in the construction of the Moray West windfarm, marshalling 62 giant ‘monopiles’ – the wind turbine foundations.

Ten metres in diameter and 84 metres long, the 2,000 tonne monopiles are the largest and heaviest ever to be handled in the United Kingdom.

Touring the Energy Transition Zone, Murray will visit the Floating Wind Innovation Centre, the UK’s first dedicated facility of its kind for floating wind technology, run by ORE Catapult.

Meanwhile Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill will visit the Port of Leith, located within the Forth Green Freeport, to mark the official opening of Forth Ports’ new Outer Berth.

Forth Ports has invested a total of £100m into transforming the Port of Leith into a “world class” renewables hub, which is already playing a key role in supporting Scotland’s energy transition.

The Leith Renewables Hub is part of the Forth Green Freeport, which aims to reindustrialise central Scotland, generating thousands of high-quality green jobs by increasing trade and supporting the growth of businesses across the Firth of Forth.