Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the
contribution that Scotland has made to offshore wind since
planning permission was granted in 2003 for the development of
Scotland’s first offshore wind farm, Robin Rigg, in the Solway
Firth; considers that Scotland has benefited from many other
offshore wind projects in recent years, including Vattenfall’s European Offshore Wind Deployment
Centre in Aberdeen Bay, which has been built with the support of
EU funding to create and test new offshore wind technologies,
Hywind Scotland, a floating wind farm developed by Equinor off
Peterhead, which started power generation in October 2017, and
the Kincardine Offshore Floating Wind Farm off the coast of
Stonehaven, which is expected to be the largest floating wind
farm in the world when it is completed in 2020; understands that
the contributions made by these and other projects will be
recognised and celebrated during Offshore Wind Week 2018, which
runs from 19 to 23 November and is an annual event supported by
Scottish Renewables; notes the hope that a pipeline of successful
projects can be secured in future leasing rounds by ensuring an
adequate provision of shallow and deep water sites; further notes
the view that government at all levels needs to support the
offshore wind sector to ensure that its success continues,
particularly beyond 2030, and looks forward to more offshore wind
farms being developed in the coming years, contributing to
Scotland’s energy mix.
(North East Scotland)
(Lab): Vattenfall’s
largest wind turbines in Aberdeen Bay are the most productive in
the world, and their having suction bucket jacket foundations has
meant that they were installed quickly and quietly this summer in
a matter of only hours...
(Aberdeenshire West)
(Con):...As a constituency MSP from the
north-east, I have had the pleasure of
visiting Vattenfall’s European offshore wind
deployment centre off the coast of Aberdeen. Anyone who has seen
the project will marvel at its impressive scale. The turbines are
so powerful that developers have said that a single rotation of
the blades could power an average UK home for a day...
(Orkney Islands)
(LD):...Since that time, we have seen
success story after success story including the Beatrice wind
farm and the Vattenfall developments. However,
it would be a mistake to suggest that all of that was inevitable.
The effort that has gone into achieving those successes should
not be undervalued just because of the progress that we have
seen. It is right that we acknowledge some of the pioneers of the
sector, but they would be the first to admit that the
contribution that they have made rested heavily on the people who
supported their efforts along the way...
(West Scotland)
(Con):...It was not long ago—just 15 years,
in fact—that planning permission was granted for the first
offshore wind farm in the Solway Firth. As today’s motion
mentions, since then, the sector has grown rapidly, with a number
of projects coming online, including the Hywind Scotland
development off Peterhead and Vattenfall’s European offshore wind deployment
centre in Aberdeen Bay. Perhaps more impressive yet, when the
Kincardine offshore floating wind farm off the coast of
Stonehaven is completed, it is expected to be the world’s largest
floating wind farm. Those sorts of milestones act as a clear sign
of ambition and of the level of success that is being realised in
Scottish waters...
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the
Islands (Paul Wheelhouse):...In September,
I joined the First Minister at the opening
of Vattenfall’s European offshore wind
deployment centre—I saw there and we had a good
catch-up about offshore wind. I add my praise for the work of
AREG; Morag McCorkindale is a force of nature, and her team has
been really important in the centre’s development. As has been
said, the project not only boasts two of the most powerful
turbines in the world but has demonstrated innovation in the
construction and installation process—the innovative suction
bucket jacket foundations at the site were installed in a record
time of two hours and 40 minutes, which is a fantastic
achievement...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
