Offshore wind developers who want to participate in the ScotWind Leasing will have to provide a Supply Chain Development Statement laying out the anticipated level and location of supply chain impact from each phase of their proposed project, Crown Estate Scotland said.
These commitments will then be formally incorporated into each ScotWind agreement and updated throughout the project development as plans become more defined, the Scottish seabed leasing manager said.
The statement will be provided by developers alongside any initial application for seabed rights and will be shared with public sector partners including the Scottish Government and enterprise agencies.
Applicants will make a commitment to developing their projects in a way which supports supply chain growth and proactively engages with suppliers both in their locality and around Scotland, Crown Estate Scotland said, adding that there will be contractual consequences if supply chain commitments are not delivered.
Full details of the Supply Chain Development Statement, along with the other elements of the proposed leasing process, will be announced at the launch of ScotWind Leasing which is scheduled for Spring 2020.
The move is part of the Scottish Government’s effort to increase the level of local content in the Scottish offshore wind projects.
“The measures agreed with Crown Estate Scotland will help to release more of those economic benefits for the Scottish economy and ensure that the Scottish-based supply chain is considered when tendering for work or making long-term conditions,” Scotland’s Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said.