Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd is to carry out a public consultation on its
proposed new outer Moray Firth wind farm, which could meet the average
electricity needs of more than 700, 000 households.

Six years ago, the Crown Estate awarded Moray Offshore development rights
for offshore wind development in Zone 1 (Moray Firth).

Moray Offshore split the site into an Eastern and Western Development Area,
and developed proposals for the Eastern Development area first, receiving
consent from the Scottish Government for 1,116MW two years ago The company
will open consultation later this month on proposals to develop the Western
Development.

The combined two zones are capable of producing up to 1,500MW offshore wind
generation in the Outer Moray Firth, generated by up to 200 turbines based
on platform technology developed by the North Sea oil and gas sector in
water up to 200-ft deep.

Dan Finch, Director of Offshore, EDPR – the Spanish-based renewable energy
group which now owns Moray Offshore – said: “We worked hard to deliver a
high-quality project in the Eastern Development Area, with no impediments
to its construction.

“All that we need to proceed is a contract which will enable us to sell
power in the reformed electricity market, and we look forward to the UK
Government announcing the next ‘Contract for Difference’ (CfD) auction,
which will allow us to compete for the contract which will let us deliver
the project.

“In announcing proposals to develop the Western area of our site to
maximise renewable energy generation, we aim create a pipeline of offshore
wind projects in the Moray Firth, and associated opportunities for the
local economy.

“Moray offshore received considerable support from local communities as
we developed the Eastern Area of our site. We will be returning to those
communities with events over the summer.”

The results of the last CFD auction were announced in February 2015. The UK
Government has indicated that potentially three further auctions will be
held within the lifetime of this UK Parliament. Moray Offshore is now
examining the feasibility of development of its Western Development Area in
the firth.

Paul Wheelhouse, Scottish Energy Minister, said: “The Scottish Government
is committed to the successful and sustainable development of an offshore
wind sector and this consultation by EDPR is the next step in that process.

“We have always stated that to realise and harness Scotland’s offshore
renewable wealth we must do so in a sustainable way, that ensures
communities can also benefit from the new economic opportunities presented
by this sector.”


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