Caithness could be set for offshore energy boom
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The prediction comes from Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership’s programme manager Eann Sinclair as Marine Scotland kicks off a month of meetings around Scotland to engage communities in talks over Holyrood’s ambitious plans for offshore renewable energy.
Noticeably absent from the list of venues is Caithness, despite First Minister Alex Salmond claiming last week that the far north will play a huge part in the programme.
But Mr Sinclair said the plans under discussion in the consultation are not directly related to Caithness and north Sutherland.
He said a perceived loss of offshore business to Orkney would lessen as the testing phase of the technology ends and the practical work begins.
“We can’t afford to be competing with our neighbours in Orkney on this issue,” said Mr Sinclair.
“The existence of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Stromness has been a positive benefit for us, with a number of Caithness companies having won business from companies testing wave and tidal devices at EMEC.
“However, the industry is striving to move on from the testing phase into the roll-out of small-scale arrays of wave or tidal devices and it is at this point that we see significant opportunity for the north mainland.”
Mr Sinclair said although a lot of attention has been given to Orkney due to EMEC, Caithness could soon be stepping up to benefit from working developments.
“With companies such as Meygen having now applied for the consents they need to put their devices in the water, and to build the onshore infrastructure to transmit power onto the National Grid, I think we are entering a new phase of development,” he said.
“The fact that three of the four Saltire Prize sites are located off our coastline shows that we are seen to be the right place from which to push that next phase of development.”
Mr Sinclair added that Beatrice Offshore Wind Ltd and Moray Offshore Wind Ltd’s wind schemes offer east coast ports the opportunity to become supply bases for the long-term operation and maintenance of turbines.
This month’s meetings will provide information about the planning process on how Scotland can use offshore wind, wave and tidal energy and seek people’s on the subject.
Marine Scotland will be hosting the public meetings during September in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Kirkwall, Newton Stewart and Stornoway.
“I think ideally every community close to potential future development sites for offshore wind, wave or tidal areas would wish to have the opportunity to feed in its views to this process,” Mr Sinclair commented.
“But looking at the areas identified in the three initial plan frameworks, the closest offshore wind area to us would be the Inner Moray Firth, whilst the wave and tidal areas identified seem to be within the Pentland Firth/Orkney waters areas previously used for the Crown Estate’s leasing round, and which we have previously commented upon.
“So I don’t see significantly new issues to be commented upon.”
On a visit to Thurso last week to open two new centres UHI North Highland College, Mr Salmond said Caithness is in the middle of a revolution in the production of energy.
He described it as the beginning of the re-industrialisation of Scotland and said that renewable energy would be central to the running of the world in future years.
