European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre

The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), also known as the Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm[2] is an offshore wind test and demonstration facility located around 3 kilometres off the east coast of Aberdeenshire, in the North Sea, Scotland. It was developed by the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre consortium.[3] The scheme is relatively small - it consists of 11 wind turbines with an installed capacity of 93.2 megawatts.[4] It is located between Blackdog and Bridge of Don near Aberdeen.[5] First power was generated in July 2018,[6] with full commissioning following in September 2018.[4]

European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre
CountryScotland
LocationAberdeen's Bay
Coordinates57°13′N 1°59′W
StatusOperational
Commission dateSeptember 2018 (2018-09)
Construction cost£335 million[1]
Owner(s)European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre
Wind farm
TypeOffshore
Max. water depth32 m[1]
Distance from shore3 km (2 mi)[1]
Hub height120 m[1]
Rotor diameter164 m[1]
Site area19 km2[1]
Power generation
Make and modelVestas V164 8.4-8.8MW
Units planned11 × 8.5 MW[1]
Nameplate capacity92.4 MW

Planning

The wind farm was initially proposed by the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in 2003.[7] The original plan was for 20 two-megawatt turbines in an eight kilometres long row about 1 kilometre offshore.[7] A geological survey of Aberdeen Bay was begun in 2007,[8] and a grant of 40 million euros was offered by the European Commission in 2009.[5] The proposal at that stage was for a maximum of 23 turbines.[5]

A planning application was lodged in August 2011.[9] The application was submitted by Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in cooperation with two other companies, Vattenfall and Technip.[9] The proposal was for 11 turbines.[9] Planning consent was granted by the Scottish government in March 2013.[10]

In May 2013 Vattenfall announced plans to reduce its stake in the project.[11] In October 2013 Aberdeenshire councillors rejected a planning application to build an electricity substation.[12] In December 2013 it was announced that construction would be delayed for two years, with connection of the grid occurring in 2017.[13] In January 2014 an appeal against the substation vote was lodged.[14] The developers won the appeal in July 2014.[15]

Vattenfall decided to proceed with the 92 MW wind farm in July 2016.[16] The plan was for 11 turbines each of 8 MW placed 3 km from land,[1] with a contract for the assembly of suction bucket foundations for the turbines contracted out to Smulders Projects UK.[17]

All eleven turbines of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre.

Objections
Main article: Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers

American billionaire Donald Trump purchased a large part of the Menie estate near the village of Balmedie in 2006. He proposed to build a golf course, with a hotel, holiday homes and a residential village.[18] He expressed his concerns about the wind farm in April 2006 stating that "I want to see the ocean, I do not want to see windmills."[19]

In 2006 RSPB Scotland expressed concern about the effect both the wind farm and Donald Trump's golf course would have on the wildlife on the Aberdeenshire coast.[19] In 2011 the RSPB called for "more planning, research and monitoring ... to ensure we truly understand the impact this site may have on local birds."[20]

In September 2011 the Trump Organization filed an objection to the planning application.[21]

By 2012 the RSPB dropped its opposition to the wind farm following the reduction in the number of turbines and a change in the layout."[22]

In May 2013 Trump launched a legal challenge against the Scottish government's decision to grant planning permission for the wind farm.[23] The hearing began at the Court of Session in November 2013,[24] but was rejected in February 2014.[25] An appeal against the decision was heard at the Court of Session in January 2015,[26] but Trump lost the appeal in June 2015.[27] After the decision Trump said he would appeal before both the Supreme Court of the UK and the European Courts.[27] Trump's appeal was unanimously dismissed by the UK Supreme Court in December 2015.[28]

Construction
The wind farm under construction in 2018, as seen from Bridge of Don

Connection work began in early 2017. The turbines are mounted on unusual suction bucket foundations. The sea cables are 66kV.[29] There are more than four miles of high voltage underground cable between the substation in Dyce (on the outskirts of Aberdeen) and the wind farm's onshore substation at Blackdog.[30] The first foundation was installed offshore in March 2018,[31] and the first turbine was installed in April.[32] The eleventh and final turbine was erected near the end of May.[33] First power was generated in July 2018,[6] with full commissioning following in September 2018.[4]

See also

References
  1. "Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm". 4coffshore.com. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  2. "Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm generates £23.3million in first six months". Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm generates £23.3million in first six months. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm [..] The 11-turbine project, also known as the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC)
  3. European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre, Vattenfall, retrieved 29 July 2014
  4. "Aberdeen offshore wind project opposed by Trump officially opening". BBC News. NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  5. "Offshore wind farm given EC boost", BBC News, 7 May 2009
  6. "Aberdeen wind farm opposed by Donald Trump generates first power".
  7. "Offshore wind farm plan unveiled", BBC News, 15 September 2003
  8. "Sea survey for offshore wind farm", BBC News, 5 July 2007
  9. "Wind farm project application for Aberdeen Bay", BBC News, 5 August 2011
  10. "Consent for Donald Trump row wind farm announced", BBC News, 26 March 2013
  11. "Aberdeen wind farm partner Vattenfall to reduce stake", BBC News, 10 May 2013
  12. "Plans for wind test centre off Aberdeen suffers setback", BBC News, 29 October 2013
  13. "Offshore wind farm plan opposed by Donald Trump is delayed", BBC News, 5 December 2013
  14. Energy giant to appeal rejection of £230m Aberdeen Bay wind farm, STV, 14 January 2014
  15. "Substation near Donald Trump golf course to go ahead", BBC News, 23 July 2014
  16. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-36854835
  17. Findlay, Keith (1 February 2017). "English firm Smulders wins Aberdeen Bay wind farm deal". energyvoice.com. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  18. First look at Trump plan for 'world's best course', HeraldScotland, 16 February 2010
  19. "Fears over Trump's golfing plans", BBC News, 24 May 2006
  20. "RSPB Scotland objection to Aberdeen offshore wind farm", BBC News, 1 November 2011
  21. "Donald Trump sends wind farm complaint to Alex Salmond", BBC News, 14 September 2011
  22. "Donald Trump in fresh Aberdeen wind farm attack", BBC News, 5 October 2012
  23. "Donald Trump launches legal challenge to wind farm decision", BBC News, 16 May 2013
  24. "Donald Trump challenge to Aberdeenshire wind turbines begins", BBC News, 12 November 2013
  25. Donald Trump loses court battle against offshore wind farm, The Daily Telegraph, 11 February 2014
  26. "Trump and windfarm team face courtroom battle over Aberdeen turbines plan". Evening Express. 20 January 2015.
  27. Billionaire Donald Trump loses legal battle over offshore wind farm, STV, 5 June 2015
  28. Trump International Golf Club Scotland Limited v The Scottish Ministers [2015] UKSC 74
  29. Foxwell, David (18 June 2018). "Planning ahead speeds construction of EOWDC". www.owjonline.com. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  30. "Donald Trump-opposed wind farm in Aberdeen Bay connected to grid". The Scotsman. 3 April 2018.
  31. "First foundation installed for pioneering offshore wind project". Aberdeen Evening Express. 26 March 2018.
  32. "First European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre turbine installed". BBC News. 10 April 2018.
  33. "Wind farm that was opposed by Donald Trump fitted with final turbine". The Herald. 28 May 2018.
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