Two major offshore wind farms in the Moray Firth have been granted consent and marine licences by the Scottish Government, marking a significant step forward in Scotland’s renewable energy pipeline.
The Caledonia North and Caledonia South projects, led by developer Ocean Winds, will span a combined area of 429 square kilometres and include up to 140 turbines. Together, the wind farms are expected to generate enough electricity each year to power around two million homes.
As part of its latest Supply Chain Development Statement, Ocean Winds has committed to investing £1.7 billion in Scotland across both projects. The development is expected to support jobs across engineering, manufacturing, ports and marine services, while also creating long-term roles in operations and maintenance.
Caledonia South will incorporate a mix of foundation technologies, including floating wind structures, helping to strengthen Scotland’s position as a global leader in floating offshore wind.
First Minister John Swinney said the decision followed careful consideration and represented a key milestone in tackling climate change. He added that the projects would play an important role in advancing Scotland’s net zero targets while supporting continued growth in the renewables sector.
“We will continue to work closely with the developer and key stakeholders, including those working in fishing and conservation, to minimise impacts on the marine environment and other marine users,” he said.
Ocean Winds will be required to mitigate environmental impacts, including producing a detailed seabird compensation plan. This must be approved by Scottish Ministers before either project can proceed.
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Caledonia North will be located approximately 28 kilometres from the Wick coastline and 48 kilometres from Banff, with an anticipated capacity of 1 gigawatt generated by up to 77 turbines. Caledonia South, situated around 45 kilometres from Wick and 35 kilometres from Banff, will also have a projected capacity of 1 gigawatt, delivered by up to 78 turbines, with no more than 39 using floating technology.
The proposals were supported by a full Environmental Impact Assessment and underwent public consultation in line with regulatory requirements.
The Caledonia projects represent the second set of ScotWind developments to receive offshore consent from Scottish Ministers, underlining the pace of progress within Scotland’s offshore wind sector.
