The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) has opened the application process for its Strategic Investment Model (SIM) for offshore wind.
The council launched the SIM process at the All Energy Conference & Exhibition in Glasgow.
The SIM programme is being managed by leading sustainability consultancy Arup and its goal is to identify and agree investment priorities necessary to deliver the ScotWind and wider offshore wind pipeline and to maximise Scottish supply chain benefits.
The launch of Stage One means ports and supply chain companies are being invited to submit proposals for consideration in the SIM. Following receipt of these applications, Arup will work with all ScotWind developers and the Scottish government to review investment opportunities.
Selected capital projects will then move into a Stage 2 process in autumn 2023, with interested developers, government, and other partners working collaboratively on individual projects to get sites to final investment decision so that they can be in place and ready to support ScotWind developments later this decade.
SOWEC’s Industry co-chair Brian McFarlane of SSE Renewables said: “As an industry we know that ScotWind presents a unique opportunity for Scotland.
“But we also face a number of challenges that we need to overcome, and the best route to doing this is working in collaboration.
“The opening of the SIM to project applications is a critical milestone in helping reach agreement on what port and manufacturing infrastructure we need to build in Scotland.
“We then need to work together to help fast track these projects ready to deliver.”
Project director, Arup Edinburgh, Elliot Wishlade added: “Arup is working closely with SOWEC, the Scottish government and offshore wind developers.
“We’re pleased to be able to launch the SIM, and we are looking forward to working with ports and the supply chain to help build the case for what and how we invest in Scotland to put the correct infrastructure in place.
“If projects want to understand what the SIM is and how it could support their investment and growth plans, we would encourage them to come forward and engage with our team and the SIM process.”
With the SIM process now live, Arup will work to coordinate an application procedure, first agreeing priority collaborative proposals with ScotWind developers and the Scottish Government over summer 2023.
Following this, a second stage of work will commence in autumn with developers and government then opting in to work alongside ports and other supply chain companies to establish how to bring these infrastructure investments forward so they are ready in time for ScotWind deployment later this decade.