The project team for Qair’s 1GW Ayre floating wind farm off east Orkney and north-east of Caithness have visited local ports as they step up plans to establish a long-term operations and maintenance base in north Scotland.
Members of the team visited facilities including at Kirkwall, Gills Bay, Scrabster and Wick to assess infrastructure, logistics capability and long-term suitability to support the floater.
Project updates were also provided to representatives from organisations including the Orkney Supply Chain, Orkney Island Council, Focus North, North Highland Chamber of Commerce, the Highland Council and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
“Securing a long-term O&M base in the north of Scotland is a critical step for the Ayre project and a significant opportunity for local communities,” said project director Ewan Walker (pictured far right).
“We’re committed to ensuring benefits from the project, including high-quality permanent jobs and supply chain contracts, are realised locally.”
Onshore plans for the floater were approved by the Highland Council in March. The Scottish government has completed a consultation into an offshore consent application that was submitted for Ayre in December.
The ScotWind project is targeted to go online in the early 2030s.