Ocean Winds has secured offshore consent from the Scottish government for its 2 GW Caledonia offshore wind farm, proposed to be built in the Moray Firth, around 40 kilometres off the coasts of Wick and Banff.
The developer submitted consent applications to Aberdeenshire Council and the Scottish government’s Marine Directorate in late 2024. The project was granted full onshore consent by Aberdeenshire Council earlier this year, when Ocean Winds said onshore works would start in 2028.
The company, a 50-50 joint venture owned by EDP Renewables and ENGIE, said on 17 July that with the offshore consent now in place, the 2 GW offshore wind farm has cleared the final major regulatory hurdle and can advance towards the next phase of project delivery.
Ocean Winds expects to begin offshore construction in 2030, subject to the project securing a Contract for Difference (CfD) and reaching final investment decision (FID).
The project comprises two wind farms, North and South Caledonia, which will cover an area of 429 square kilometres and comprise up to 140 wind turbines.
Ocean Winds states on its website that Caledonia would be built in water depths ranging between 40 and 100 metres, with three-quarters of the site situated at depths that allow for fixed foundations. “This means most of the site can be built using the same type of jacket foundations which Ocean Winds optimised at Moray East”, the company states.
According to information released by the Scottish government, wind turbines at Caledonia North are planned to be installed on fixed-bottom foundations, while Caledonia South is planned to use both fixed-bottom and floating foundations.