EDF and ESB’s 450MW Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) wind farm off east Scotland is now fully operational.
The array, located 15.5km off the coast of Fife, has 54 turbines now generating enough clean electricity to power around 375,000 homes and offset over 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
First Minister John Swinney (pictured) visited NnG’s operations and maintenance base at Eyemouth this week to mark the completion of the wind farm.
The project has directly contributed around £200m to the economy through work with local supply chains including more than 50 suppliers based in and around Scotland during the wind farm’s construction, according to the companies.
This includes Forth Ports at the Port of Dundee, Perth-based civil engineering firm I&H Brown, Briggs Marine in Burntisland and Inverkeithing-based Muir Construction Ltd.
The developers said the wind farm’s O&M base, opened in January 2023 will play a key role in the Eyemouth community for the 25-year lifespan of the wind farm, with 50 skilled jobs required to manage NnG.
For the last three years, NnG has supported initiatives across the east coast of Scotland with local sponsorships and grants awarded to over 25 community organisations. A community benefit fund will launch later this summer for the communities closest to the wind farm and its onshore substation.
Swinney said: “Offshore wind is one of Scotland’s greatest modern success stories. Seeing NnG up close and hearing about the positive impact it will have on the local area for decades to come, including the creation of around 50 high-quality jobs over the next 25 years, showcases the enormous benefits offshore wind will bring to communities across the country.
“Driving economic growth and tackling the climate emergency are two of my government’s priorities, and NnG is a shining example of how these priorities can work hand in hand to reshape Scotland’s future for the better.”
EDF power solutions UK and Ireland chief executive Matthieu Hue said: “The completion of NnG is a fantastic achievement and is the culmination of years of hard work from many colleagues.”
Jim Dollard, ESB’s executive director of generation and trading, added: “Marking the completion of NnG is a significant step in ESB’s progress towards net zero. This project will be an important contributor to help deliver a reduction in carbon emissions from UK electricity generation while also supporting the economy of the east coast of Scotland.
“I would like to acknowledge the work of our partners EDF power solutions UK and Ireland in helping us reach today’s milestone. Through projects like this, ESB has amassed considerable expertise in offshore wind as we partner with leading energy companies in projects of scale as part of our ambition to build a significant offshore footprint across Ireland and Great Britain.”
NnG project director Matthias Haag said: “Today is a really exciting day as we declare one of Scotland’s largest offshore wind farms fully completed.
“It’s also testament to the extraordinary skills, tenacity and commitment of our project team and business partners who have successfully navigated many complex technical challenges – often in tough Scottish weather and through a global pandemic – to build this infrastructure project that will power homes and businesses sustainably for decades to come.”