UK Crown Estate approves four offshore test sites

UK: The Crown Estate has handed four companies the right to build four offshore demonstration projects off the coast of England and Scotland.

by James Quilter 6 August 2010

Dong has approval to expand its Gunfleet Sands wind farm to accomodate a test project

Dong Energy and the National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec) have been awarded leases in England at Gunfleet Sands and Blyth respectively.

In Scotland, Dutch firm 2-B Energy has been handed an exclusivity agreement to develop a test site at the Methil wind farm, near the Fife Energy Park. Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) and Vattenfall to test up to 11 turbines in Aberdeen Bay.

Both of the Scottish site agreements are subject to approval by the Scottish government. Exclusivity agreements have been signed to allow the companies to initiate survey and consultation processes.

Key points:

  • Gunfleet Sands extension – Dong Energy to test up to two next generation offshore wind turbines.
  • Blyth Offshore Wind Demonstration site – National renewable energy centre Ltd (Narec) to build a 100 MW grid connected site to test and demonstrate up to 20 next generation offshore wind turbines and associated infrastructure.
  • Methil Offshore Wind Farm – 2-B Energy to demonstrate 2B-Energy’s two offshore wind turbines
  • European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre – Aberdeen Offshore Wind Ltd, a company owned 75 per cent by Vattenfall and 25 per cent by Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) to test and demonstrate up to 11 next generation offshore wind turbines and other technology in Aberdeen Bay.