By Jim Millar
Up to 120 offshore wind turbines nearly the height of the Eiffel Tower look
set for construction off the Angus coast.
The project is back on the table after a bitter and lengthy legal battle
that went all the way to the High Court after the RSPB sought a judicial
review into the decision.
The project has also been dogged by concerns about the visual impact of the
turbines, as well as fears that it may affect the fishing industry, and
lobster numbers.
Seagreen Wind Energy, the consortium behind the project, argued they will
seek to address public concerns.
These include fears about safety for fishing vessels, the adverse impacts
upon commercially exploited fish, recreational fish and shellfish
populations and access to traditional fishing grounds.
At a well-attended public exhibition at Arbroath’s Community Centre,
revised plans for the project showed a proposed increase in generating
capacity across the project, from 1050MW, to around 1500MW.
Although there will potentially be fewer turbines, the new, substantially
sized ones come in at up to 280m to the tip of the blade, dwarfing the Bell
Rock lighthouse which stands at 35m, with a rotor diameter stretching to 220m.
But the application from Seagreen Wind Energy, to vary the existing
consents may be premature.
It has emerged the 15MW wind turbines are not yet on the market anywhere in
the world, with some of the highest capacities being just 9.5MW.
A spokesperson for Seagreen Wind Energy said: “What we are seeking to do is
future proof the project, and this application to vary the consents takes
into account the astonishing rate of technological development in the
renewable industry.”
The supply chain elements of the project are highlighted, such as the need
for port facilities and fabrication areas, but there are no guarantees that
the work will be allocated locally.
Material requirements make an impressive shopping list, with 250,000 tonnes
of steel foundations, 700km medium voltage array cable, and 130km of high
voltage cable, as well as transformers, switchgear and substations, and of
course, the turbines themselves.
In 2013, fears were expressed that the sea view towards the historic Bell
Rock lighthouse would see the 200-year-old structure dwarfed by turbines
5.5 times its size.
In July 2016, Lord Stewart heard RSPB’s concerns about the impact on
migratory wild bird species and their protected habitat population,
including Atlantic puffins, northern gannets and black-legged kittiwakes,
as well as guillemots and razorbills.
The judge held that the Scottish ministers had failed to comply with
regulations, and failed to consult on environmental information about the
projects and made their decision “unlawfully” taking account of information
without consultation.
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