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World's first deep water offshore windfarm
28/08/2003
The world's first deep water offshore windfarm is to be
developed with government support from from Scotland and
the UK.
First Minister Jack McConnell today announced a research
grant of up to £194,000 for offshore oil operator Talisman
and its research partner Scottish and Southern Energy.
The Executive's contribution will be matched by funding
from the Department of Trade and Industry, and the money
will be used to fund a study to design the world's first
deep water offshore windfarm.
The companies envisage building up to 200 turbines
linked to Talisman's existing Beatrice oilfield which could
generate up to 1000 megawatts - or about half of the new
generation needed to meet the Scottish government's target
of generating 40 per cent of all electricity from renewable
sources
Speaking before he flew out to the Beatrice oilfield,
Jack McConnell said:
"We cannot meet our aspirations of renewable energy
generation by onshore wind alone. Opening up Scotland's
seas, even in the deep and difficult waters of the North
Sea, will genuinely make us world leaders in renewable
energy - just as we are among the world's leading oil and
gas producers.
"We have set ourselves the target of generating 40 per
cent of Scottish electricity from renewable energy sources
by 2020. We are also committed to supporting our oil and
gas industries sustain their current global success through
diversification and extending the life of our North Sea oil
and gas reserves.
"This announcement represents a b ig step towards
meeting these goals. Offshore wind has the potential to
provide a significant proportion of Scotland's energy
needs. Between them, Talisman and Scottish and Southern
Energy have the world class expertise needed to develop the
new technology, and Aberdeen's position as the energy
capital of Europe means the city has the skilled workforce
needed to exploit this new form of energy.
"And this new technology could have significant export
potential, as well as create hundreds of new jobs in the
North. This announcement is good news for Aberdeen, good
news for Scotland and good news for the environment.
"We want nothing less than a world beating renewable
energy industry. This work by Talisman and SSE, supported
by us and by the Department for Trade and Industry, will
make that aspiration closer than ever before."
Talisman Vice President Paul Blakeley commented:
"We are delighted to have received funding for this
study. It enables us to keep moving forward on what is
clearly a project with enormous potential. Although there
are many hurdles yet to overcome, today's announcement is a
demonstration of the shared commitment of all the partners
to realising that potential."
Iain Marchant, Chief Executive of Scottish and Southern
Energy, said:
"This project has the potential to make a real
difference. Fulfilling this potential will require a
sustained partnership involving the companies, the Scottish
Executive and the UK government. In this context, today's
announcement by the First Minister is a very important and
encouraging development."
The grant from the Executive and the DTI will be used to
fund a front end engineering study to develop a full scale
demonstrator adjacent to the Beatrice oil field.
"By utilising offshore technologies and expertise
Talisman hope to demonstrate the potential for windfarms in
deeper waters, further offshore than conventional
windfarms.
Talisman Energy is one of the biggest independent
Canadian oil and gas producers with operations in Canada,
the North Sea, and the Far East.
Scottish and Southern Energy is one of the largest
energy companies in the UK, involved in the generation,
transmission, distribution and supply of electricity. It is
the UK's leading generator from renewable sources in the
UK, owning and operating nearly half of the country's
renewable energy capacity.