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Released September 10, 2012 | GALWAY, IRELAND
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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- The first project in the U.K.'s push to add up to 25,000-megawatts (MW) of offshore wind energy to its electricity mix has entered the planning process.
Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd (MORL), which is 75% owned by EDP Renovaveis (Lisbon, Portugal) and 25% owned by SeaEnergy Renewables (Westhill, Scotland), announced that it has submitted an application to the Scottish Government for consent to develop offshore wind power at three sites within Zone 1 of The Crown Estate's Third Round -- or Round 3 - of offshore wind licensing. The Crown Estate believes the Round 3 projects could meet a quarter of the U.K.'s electricity demand by 2020. The original awards for Round 3 contracts were made in January, 2010. For additional information see January 11, 2010, article - Winners of U.K. Offshore Wind Jackpot Revealed.
The Moray Firth project -- which comprises three proposed windfarms -- is the first of the approved Crown Estate's Round 3 leases for offshore zones to seek planning permission. When commissioned the Telford, Stevenson and McColl offshore windfarms in the outer Moray Firth, will have a combined generating capacity of approximately 1,500 MW. They will be located 22 kilometres (13.5 miles) from the Caithness coast.
"The installation of this infrastructure will provide a sustainable energy source for years to come; and just like the hydro power of previous generations, it will be free from the rising costs of coal and gas," said Dan Finch, Project Director and Managing Director for EDPR U.K..
"This represents the culmination of a huge amount of development work," he added. "By working in deeper water, more than 12 miles from shore, we can take advantage of the excellent wind resource in the outer Moray Firth, and make a significant contribution to cutting greenhouse gas production and reducing the need to burn fossil fuels. We estimate that the project will be capable of supplying the electricity needs of 800,000 to 1 million households."
The news was welcomed by RenewableUK, the trade and professional body for the wind and marine energy industries.
Maria McCaffery, Chief Executive of RenewableUK, said: "We're marking a watershed moment as Round Three starts to become a reality with this planning application. It's the first of many coming forward. As well as delivering secure supplies of low carbon electricity to British homes and businesses, our global leadership role in offshore wind can provide tens of thousands of jobs across the country, building and maintaining these turbines.A timely consent for Moray Offshore Renewables could lead to other significant milestones being achieved early in the Round Three process."
McCaffery also warned that the government needs to maintain a stable framework to encourage more investors to get the Round 3 projects off the ground.
"The investment timelines for Round Three projects are long. Developers need certainty that Government provides and maintains a stable financial framework throughout the entire Round Three programme to ensure that the opportunities to come in terms of job creation and wider economic benefits are fully realised."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd (MORL), which is 75% owned by EDP Renovaveis (Lisbon, Portugal) and 25% owned by SeaEnergy Renewables (Westhill, Scotland), announced that it has submitted an application to the Scottish Government for consent to develop offshore wind power at three sites within Zone 1 of The Crown Estate's Third Round -- or Round 3 - of offshore wind licensing. The Crown Estate believes the Round 3 projects could meet a quarter of the U.K.'s electricity demand by 2020. The original awards for Round 3 contracts were made in January, 2010. For additional information see January 11, 2010, article - Winners of U.K. Offshore Wind Jackpot Revealed.
The Moray Firth project -- which comprises three proposed windfarms -- is the first of the approved Crown Estate's Round 3 leases for offshore zones to seek planning permission. When commissioned the Telford, Stevenson and McColl offshore windfarms in the outer Moray Firth, will have a combined generating capacity of approximately 1,500 MW. They will be located 22 kilometres (13.5 miles) from the Caithness coast.
"The installation of this infrastructure will provide a sustainable energy source for years to come; and just like the hydro power of previous generations, it will be free from the rising costs of coal and gas," said Dan Finch, Project Director and Managing Director for EDPR U.K..
"This represents the culmination of a huge amount of development work," he added. "By working in deeper water, more than 12 miles from shore, we can take advantage of the excellent wind resource in the outer Moray Firth, and make a significant contribution to cutting greenhouse gas production and reducing the need to burn fossil fuels. We estimate that the project will be capable of supplying the electricity needs of 800,000 to 1 million households."
The news was welcomed by RenewableUK, the trade and professional body for the wind and marine energy industries.
Maria McCaffery, Chief Executive of RenewableUK, said: "We're marking a watershed moment as Round Three starts to become a reality with this planning application. It's the first of many coming forward. As well as delivering secure supplies of low carbon electricity to British homes and businesses, our global leadership role in offshore wind can provide tens of thousands of jobs across the country, building and maintaining these turbines.A timely consent for Moray Offshore Renewables could lead to other significant milestones being achieved early in the Round Three process."
McCaffery also warned that the government needs to maintain a stable framework to encourage more investors to get the Round 3 projects off the ground.
"The investment timelines for Round Three projects are long. Developers need certainty that Government provides and maintains a stable financial framework throughout the entire Round Three programme to ensure that the opportunities to come in terms of job creation and wider economic benefits are fully realised."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
