Scottish ministers have given the go ahead for plans seeking to maximise the renewable energy potential of Seagreen, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm.
The Section 36C (S36C) application to increase the potential installed capacity of the project’s remaining 36 turbines from 360MW to up to 500MW has been granted.
In total, Seagreen represents more than 1.5GW of potential installed capacity with 1.1GW already under construction.
Seagreen, Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm and one of the biggest private investments in Scottish infrastructure, is a joint venture by SSE Renewables (49%) and TotalEnergies (51%).
All 150 offshore turbines are consented and the first 114 of these, which have a grid connection into Tealing, Angus, are under construction and the project achieved first power in August 2022.
Seagreen applied for the S36C application to take advantage of developments in offshore turbine technology and maximise the wind yield of the remaining 36 consented, but not yet constructed, turbines.
This follows a decision by National Grid last year to increase the project’s grid connection offer at Cockenzie, East Lothian, to 500MW.
Project Director for Seagreen, John Hill, said: “We welcome the swift decision from Scottish Ministers and this consent ensures we can maximise the renewable energy potential of the 36 consented turbines that will eventually connect into Cockenzie.
“Seagreen, Scotland’s largest and the world’s deepest fixed based offshore wind farm, will help Scotland to reach a net-zero carbon future and the project will now be able to capture more wind to produce more renewable energy.”
Seagreen submitted a Section 36C application to Marine Scotland in May 2022 to vary the existing consent to increase the height and dimensions of Seagreen’s remaining 36 turbines.
The connection for these remaining turbines consists of an offshore cable corridor to landfall at Cockenzie and the onshore cable corridor and the onshore substation.
In August 2021, planning permission in principle (PPP) for the substation and onshore cable infrastructure at Cockenzie was unanimously approved by East Lothian Council.