Maintaining progress in Scotland's floating wind sector
27 Nov 2024 • 4 minute read
A series of initiatives to overcome challenges in the floating wind sector are ensuring the momentum continues in Scotland.
Projects planned in Scotland could deliver around 10% of all global energy generated by floating wind turbines.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that global floating wind projects in the pipeline amount to 244 gigawatts (GW). New projects in the ScotWind and Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds could generate 24.5 GW of this total in Scottish waters.
Scaling up at such a pace is a challenge, but Scotland has a head start. The country has extensive experience in fixed-bottom wind and oil and gas operations in the North Sea. Such expertise offers huge advantages in expanding floating wind capabilities.
Challenges in floating wind foundations
Floating units differ from fixed-bottom turbines as they operate without foundations on the seabed. Instead, they are held in place with mooring lines and anchors, like moored ships. Currently, there is no industry consensus on the optimum floating foundation method. However, Scotland’s projects demonstrate the multiple ways it can be done successfully.
Ian Taylor, Project Director of Edinburgh-based Thistle Wind Partners (TWP), is helping develop new offshore wind projects. He believes that standardisation is an important challenge to address.
"The focus must be driven by the industry and government, together with certification bodies. It's needed to get us to that point where we have those products ready for major contracts to be signed by developers like us by the end of this decade", Taylor explained.
New projects could power two million homes
Founded by industry experts Aspiravi, DEME Group, and QAIR, TWP secured two sites in the 2022 ScotWind leasing round. Both are scheduled to be operational within the next ten years.
“The big leap we have in floating offshore wind is the move to the serial production of these technologies,” noted Taylor. “But we saw that challenge being met for fixed-bottom turbines.”
The combined energy from TWP’s Scottish projects could supply enough electricity for more than two million homes. TWP estimates that the development could provide around £2.4 billion for the Scottish supply chain over their combined service life.
Engineering assessments and cost studies are currently underway for potential sites across Scotland. These include developing the 1GW Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm off the Aberdeenshire coast and creating a new wind farm north of Caithness in Orkney. Next year, environmental impact assessments for the Orkney site will be submitted to the Marine Directorate for approval.
Floating Wind Innovation Centre
Scotland’s leadership in floating wind is boosted by the Floating Wind Innovation Centre (FLOWIC). Located in the Energy Transition Zone in Aberdeen, it is the UK’s first facility dedicated to commercial floating wind technologies.
The site includes large-scale testing and validation facilities for anchoring systems, moorings, and cables. A wave motion simulator, design services, and virtual reality capabilities further enhance FLOWIC’s state-of-the-art offering. Design and manufacturing at FLOWIC is reliant on the local supply chain, a common theme in Scotland’s offshore wind sector.
Government and private sector support for floating wind
A £2 million investment made FLOWIC a reality, with further funding planned to advance floating wind in Scotland. Central to development is the Strategic Investment Model (SIM), which bridges the private and public sectors to scale offshore wind.
After a first call for project proposals in May 2023, 38 of 44 applications progressed to Stage One. The combined value of these potential projects is £6.5 billion. The SIM has advanced two projects to Stage Two. The names of a further 30 successful applications were published in February 2024 that have completed Stage One.
The UK Government’s Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme (FLOWMIS) has also been vital in building the necessary infrastructure. The ports of Cromarty Firth and Ardersier are two examples of areas that benefit from the scheme.
Such initiatives demonstrate the Scottish Government’s commitment to maintaining momentum within the floating wind sector.
Meanwhile, government schemes are attracting private investment to create new opportunities for local businesses across Scotland within the sector.
“There are lots of reasons to be optimistic about developing floating offshore wind in Scotland,” said Taylor.
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