EMEC eyes 100MW floating wind demonstrator

The site, located 20km to the west of Orkney, will host six individual berths for floating turbines of up to 20MW rated capacity. Four of the six berths will be grid-connected, while the other two will be reserved for power-to-X applications. Independent analysis by BiGGAR Economics has found that the demo site has the potential to generate £690m gross value add (GVA) to the UK economy, £442m of which will accrue in Scotland.

“EMEC’s floating wind test site has been designed specifically for floating wind developers to de-risk their technologies, putting turbines, floating structures, moorings and other components to the test in an energetic offshore environment,” said Matthew Finn, commercial director of EMEC. “This will enable performance to be refined on a wide range of floating wind technologies prior to scale-up through ScotWind and beyond.

“We want to ensure the benefit of the UK being a first mover on offshore energy technologies is firmly cemented here. Establishing a test centre of this nature in Scotland will encourage international companies to establish themselves here and sends a clear market signal to the Scottish supply chain.”

According to EMEC, the site will offer floating wind developers the opportunity to prove performance and de-risk technologies in ‘energetic metocean conditions’, typical of ScotWind, Celtic Sea, Californian, and other floating wind projects with commercial momentum. The BiGGAR study also predicts that the facility will create 4,160 new jobs in the UK - 2,220 of which will be in Scotland - during its expected 25-year lifetime.  

“The UK government set very clear ambitions of 5GW floating offshore wind by 2030 with estimates that could deliver a GVA of £43.6bn to the UK,” said Finn.  

“The development of a floating wind test site aligns with the British Energy Security Strategy which outlines a clear need for continued support for R&D to drive through the commercialisation of technologies, bring down costs and provide assurance to investors regarding the viability of an emerging technology.”

Graeme Blackett, director of BiGGAR Economics, added: “The BiGGAR Economics impact assessment of EMEC’s proposed offshore floating wind test facility sets out the substantial economic benefits that the facility itself would generate for the Scottish economy, more than £440m over its lifetime. It also highlights the strategic economic role the centre will play, providing a real-world testing and demonstration facility, encouraging innovation and accelerating deployment of floating offshore wind.”