Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm to create 1300 supply chain jobs, claims company behind venture
Up to 1300 supply chain jobs could be created during the construction of a pioneering wind farm off the Caithness coast.
The company behind the Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm (PFOWF) claims the development will also deliver £419 million of expenditure in the UK, along with 85 full-time equivalent jobs during the wind farm's operation.
Highland Wind Limited, which is majority owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners through one of its funds, wants to build seven turbines up to 300m high to their blade tips around 7.5km offshore from Dounreay.
The 100MW floating wind farm is seen as a key project in advancing the deployment of large-scale floating offshore wind.
PFOWF has now published figures which it says outline the project's commitment to developing the floating offshore wind supply chain across Scotland and the UK – with a commitment of 40 to 60 per cent of UK content.
The numbers have been submitted to Crown Estate Scotland in the same format as a Supply Chain Development Statement – a document which is mandatory for developers within the more recent ScotWind leasing round for offshore wind.
The Pentland development is not part of that scheme, but PFOWF says it wants to demonstrate best practice and to reaffirm its commitment to local communities.
To inform the submission, Pentland carried out a supply chain mapping exercise and local content assessment to understand regional capabilities and the geographical breakdown of project expenditure, supported by locally based consultancy Xodus and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).
Project director Richard Copeland said: “These are significant figures for floating wind in Scotland and the UK. They showcase our commitment to the country’s floating offshore wind sector and nurturing the development of local supply chain capabilities ahead of ScotWind project development – a fundamental aim of this project.
“By carrying out this preparatory work, the process has allowed us to understand the existing supply chain capabilities on offer, and the areas in which we can drive local expenditure, job creation and skills development.
“We have also taken steps to ensure early visibility of future opportunities and engage with the supply chain as widely as possible. Over the last few months, we’ve held a series of events to give an overview of the work packages on offer and will continue to organise more of these in 2023.”
Scott Hamilton, head of offshore renewables at Xodus, said: “We were able to offer our in-depth knowledge of Scottish capabilities, identifying key areas for strategic supply chain engagement for Pentland with the aim of promoting a sustainable local floating offshore wind supply chain ready for commercial-scale opportunities.
“The project marks an important stepping-stone in progressing the floating offshore wind supply chain in the UK, providing key insights into the strengths and capability gaps of Scottish and wider UK companies.”
Euan Black, subject network leader for business, management and leisure at UHI, said: “We were pleased to provide socio-economic information to inform this development. The report also gave one of our interns an opportunity to gain experience on a real-life project.”
The submission comes ahead of a Business Breakfast in partnership with Caithness Chamber of Commerce.
The event will take place in Thurso on Wednesday, November 23, to introduce the project and the opportunities available to supply chain companies in the area.
The wind farm is due to be operational in 2026.