SSE’s £2.6bn investment in the 588MW Beatrice offshore wind farm off Scotland will support some 18,100 years of full-time employment in the UK, according to research carried out for the developer by NEF Consulting.
In a study measuring the social and economic benefits of the wind farm, the consultancy found that the project could add some £1.3bn to national GDP.
“The findings of the report show that our spending on the project will not just benefit the wider UK supply chain, but also the Scottish supply chain and communities near the wind farm,” said SSE head of generation development Paul Cooley.
According to the study, £3.21 of value will also be created for every £1 invested by the developer’s £34m fund for community projects.
Beatrice will feature 84 Siemens 7MW turbines when fully commissioned in 2019.
SHL vessel Stanislav Yudin arrived on site to begin pile installation works in April and has so far driven in half of the project’s foundation piles.
Installation of Beatrice’s jacket foundations will kick off later this summer.
Image: SHL completes pre-piling work (SHL)
SSE trumpets Beatrice benefits
NEF Consulting report finds 588MW project could add £1.3bn to UK GDP
By EBS