Beatrice Offshore Windfarm

Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Profile

Location

The Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm is situated in the Outer Moray Firth, approximately 13 km off the Caithness coast in the North Sea, Scotland. It is near the Beatrice and Jacky oil platforms.

History and Development

• Evaluation Project: The project began with the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project, a joint venture between Scottish and Southern Energy and Talisman Energy (UK), which built and operated an evaluation wind farm in 2007. This initial phase involved two turbines with a total capacity of 10 MW to assess the feasibility of a commercial wind farm in deep water.

• Planned Expansion: In February 2009, SSE Renewables and Repsol Nuevas Energias UK were awarded exclusivity by The Crown Estate to develop the full-scale Beatrice offshore wind farm. The project received a contract for difference in April 2014 to set the price for its power over 15 years. Approval for the £2.6 billion expansion to 84 turbines was granted in May 2016.

Ownership and Partnerships

The Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm is operated by a joint venture partnership consisting of:

• SSE Renewables: 40%
• Red Rock Power Limited: 25%
• The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG): 17.5%
• Equitix: 17.5% (Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) sold its 35% stake to TRIG and Equitix in January 2021).

Capacity and Turbines

• The wind farm comprises 84 Siemens Gamesa SWT-7.0-154 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 7 MW and a rotor diameter of 154 meters.
• The total installed capacity is 588 MW, making it one of Scotland's largest operational offshore wind farms and capable of powering up to 450,000 homes annually.

Construction and Installation

• Onshore Construction: Began in May 2016 in Moray.
• Offshore Construction: Started in April 2017. The first turbine was installed and first power was exported in July 2018. The final turbine was installed on 14 May 2019, and the project was fully commissioned by June 2019.
• Contractors: Key contractors included Siemens Gamesa for the turbines, Global Energy Group for fabrication and assembly at Nigg Energy Park, Seaway 7 for the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of the wind turbine foundations, and Nexans for the transmission cables.

Grid Connection and Transmission

• The electricity generated is transmitted via two 90 km long 220 kV export cable circuits to the Blackhillock substation in Moray. The substation transforms the energy from 220,000 volts to 400,000 volts before it is exported to the national electricity network.
• The transmission assets, including two offshore transformer modules (OTMs) and the onshore substation, were sold to Transmission Capital Partners in July 2021.

Operations and Maintenance

• The wind farm is operated and maintained from its base at Wick Harbour on the north-east coast of Scotland.
• Siemens is responsible for servicing and maintaining the turbines for a period of 15 years.

Economic and Socio-Economic Impact

• The project involved a capital expenditure of around £2.5 billion, making it one of the largest private investments in Scottish infrastructure.
• The construction phase created and retained jobs, particularly in the Highlands and Moray areas. Global Energy Group’s Nigg Energy Park played a significant role in transitioning skills from the oil and gas sector to offshore wind.

Community Benefits

• The Beatrice Community Benefit Funds, worth around £6 million, were established to benefit communities in the Highlands and Moray areas. These funds have been fully allocated to various community projects and organizations.

Environmental Monitoring

• The wind farm participates in a Project Environmental Monitoring Programme (PEMP) and a regional Marine Mammal Monitoring Programme (MMMP) to monitor and manage potential environmental impacts.

Controversies

• During the construction phase, there were issues related to the use of migrant workers, including the arrest of 11 Russian workers in 2017 for working illegally. The UK Home Office granted waivers to allow these workers to continue working on the project.

Official Opening

• The wind farm was officially opened on 29 July 2019 by HRH the Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, in the presence of the joint venture partners, stakeholders, colleagues, and contractors.

In summary, the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm is a significant renewable energy project in Scotland, known for its large scale, innovative technologies, and substantial economic and socio-economic benefits.