UK leaders cheer Beatrice

SSE’s positive final investment decision on its 588MW Beatrice wind farm in Scotland is “great news” for the industry and the UK supply chain.

Holyrood’s new energy minister Paul Wheelhouse (pictured) today congratulated SSE and its project partners Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and SDIC Power after the developers announced financial close on the £2.6bn project. 

“The Beatrice offshore wind farm has the opportunity to deliver so much to Caithness and Scotland as a whole, in terms of employment and community benefit,” he said.

“Scotland’s renewables sector is stronger than ever and our early adoption of clean, green energy technology and infrastructure was the right thing to do. Renewables are now Scotland’s biggest electricity generator, and nearly half of gross electricity consumption comes from renewables.”

DECC energy secretary Amber Rudd said the UK is a “world leader” in the offshore wind industry which is “a success story going from strength to strength”.

“This project will provide home-grown clean energy boosting skills and creating jobs and financial security for working people and their families in Scotland, and across the UK,” said Rudd.

RenewableUK’s chief executive Hugh McNeal also welcomed the announcement.

“It’s terrific to see another multi-billion pound international investment in our global-leading offshore wind industry,” he said.

“We now know that by 2020, 10% of the UK’s electricity will be generated by offshore wind farms, securing jobs and investment all over our country. 10GW will power the equivalent of more than a quarter of UK households a year – over 7 and a half million homes.”

The Crown Estate’s Scotland portfolio manager Ronnie Quinn added: “It’s incredibly exciting to see this project given the final go ahead. Any offshore wind farm of this scale is a very complex development – putting the finance and final lease in place for Beatrice is a huge achievement that will result in investment and jobs at a local, regional and national level. We look forward to continuing to support the team.”

Image: Scottish Government