Far north set to benefit from major multi-million pound offshore windfarm project
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CAITHNESS is set to benefit from a multi-million pound investment in a major offshore windfarm off the coast of Sutherland.
The West of Orkney Windfarm is to develop a two-gigawatt windfarm in a joint venture with Corio Generation, TotalEnergies and Renewable Infrastructure Development Group.
Scheduled to be generating electricity by 2030, the project will be capable of powering the equivalent of more than two million homes.
The developer has already signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Scrabster Harbour Trust which will help the area to support offshore wind projects in the future. The company is also keen to work with the local supply chain in Caithness and the north of Scotland to maximise the opportunities for local businesses during construction and the longer-term operations of the project.
The West of Orkney Windfarm has joined the Caithness Chamber of Commerce as a diamond premier partner – the highest level of membership – to underline its commitment to the area.
In October last year the project partners announced a £105 million investment initiative that will be enhanced to £140 million by third parties to support the offshore wind supply chain locally, in Scotland and across the UK ahead of a Final Investment Decision in 2026.
West of Orkney Windfarm development manager, Jack Farnham, said: "Our membership of the Caithness Chamber of Commerce underlines our commitment to working closely with local businesses and the communities in the north of Scotland to maximise the long-term economic and social benefits this project will bring.
"Our ambition is to deliver up to half of the project’s content in Scotland over its lifetime and we believe the best way to achieve this is through close collaboration with industry and the communities in which we operate, supported by targeted investment where appropriate.
"We have been engaging actively with key local supply chain partners for a number of years and already the project is working closely with contractors across the Highlands and Islands.
"We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Scrabster Harbour Trust underscoring our commitment to support the enhancement of the port’s infrastructure and position the area to support offshore wind projects in the future."
Trudy Morris, the chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, said: "We look forward to working closely with Jack and his team over the coming years to help maximise opportunities for the local supply chain and optimise the socio-economic benefits for the region.
"Offshore wind developments such as the West of Orkney Windfarm will play a key role in helping Scotland and the UK reach their net zero targets as well create a substantial number of jobs, drive investment in skills and infrastructure and deliver sizeable benefits to local communities. It is great to see some of our members such as Scrabster Harbour already working with the West of Orkney Windfarm and one of our jobs over this next period will be to ensure other members have visibility of the opportunities that will be created through this development."
The company plans to provide over £9 million of direct support for the enhancement of local ports and harbour infrastructure in the north of Scotland.
Along with its partners, it intends to spend £932 million in Scotland during development, construction and the first six years of operations, underpinned by a target of 60 percent UK content (40 percent in Scotland and 20 percent in the rest of the UK), measured over the life of the project.
