Trump Loses Offshore Wind Fight

The Scottish Court of Session has rejected Trump’s objection to a planned GBP 230 million offshore wind farm.

The U.S. billionaire claims that the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in Aberdeenshire would ruin the view from his golf course at Menie.

Lord Doherty said that he was “not persuaded that it could be fairly concluded there was a real possibility of any bias in the decision-making process, or that the decision not to hold an inquiry had been unreasonable or unlawful.“

EOWDC spokesman, Iain Todd, welcomed this decision by saying:  “The project underwent a thorough examination and extensive consultation to gain consent and the decision-making process has been scrutinised by the Court of Session. “

Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The proposed European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre is an important project for Aberdeen and North East Scotland. It will give the industry the ability to test and demonstrate new technologies to accelerate its growth. “

Unfortunately, the project has been delayed by two years due to the legal struggle between the developer and Trump.

Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm Ltd (AOWFL), a joint venture between Vattenfall and Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG), with Technip as a partner, is planning to deploy 11 turbines off the Aberdeen coast.

 Offshore WIND staff, February 11, 2014; Image: Gage Skidmore