Beatrice Gets Go-Ahead

[Tarrel]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-h ... s-26645997

The Scottish government has given the go-ahead to a major offshore wind farm development in the Outer Moray Firth.

The two neighbouring projects - from Moray Offshore Renewables Limited and Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Limited - involve a total of 326 turbines.

The Scottish government said the combined development off the Caithness coast would be the world's third biggest offshore wind farm.

The project could generate electricity for more than a million homes.

If constructed, the scheme would have more turbines than the 175-turbine London Array.

It would also be the third largest in the world after the planned South Korea Electric Power scheme off the south-west coast of the Korean peninsula, and the Blekinge project in the Baltic Sea off Sweden. Each could generate 2.5 gigawatts of electricity.

This is a massive project. Could increase UK wind capacity by over 50%. Perhaps this is where Scotland's future should lie. I imagine there is a fair amount of technology and expertise transfer between offshore oil/gas and offshore wind. Scotland has expertise in the former in spadefuls.

[clv101]

Brilliant - offshore wind is an absolutely key technology for the future.

[kenneal - lagger]

A great boost to the fishing industry as well, although it might take a few years for them to notice.