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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] PlanningThe 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] Objections.jpg) 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.jpg) 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 alsoReferences
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