North-east firm Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) has won a lucrative new contract for work on the £2.6billion Beatrice offshore windfarm in the Outer Moray Firth.
It is believed the deal is worth more than £1million to Banchory-based ESS, which specialises in offshore engineering consultancy and technology for the subsea energy and offshore renewables markets.
The £2.6billion, 84-turbine Beatrice development eight miles off the coast of Caithness in the Outer Moray Firth involves one of the largest private investments ever made in Scottish infrastructure.
On completion in 2019, the windfarm is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 450,000 homes.
It is being built by a partnership of Scottish energy firm SSE (40%), Denmark’s Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (35%) and China’s SDIC Power (25%).
ESS, working on behalf of client Siem Offshore Contractors, will carry out seabed clearance work using its Scar2 technology from the Siem Ruby vessel.
Keith McDermott, commercial director, ESS, said: “We’ve had a busy start to 2017, with mobilisation on a major interconnector project in the North Sea followed by this boulder-clearing workscope for Siem.
“With experience of similar clearance and trenching workscopes on Race Bank and Westermost Rough windfarms offshore the east coast of England, and a number of projects in the Baltic Sea, our track record in renewables is well-established.”
He added: “We are focused on exporting this technology and expertise into emerging markets in Asia and the US, where offshore wind is beginning to get decent traction, and the Beatrice award strengthens our pedigree when bidding for other contracts.”
Founded by managing director Mike Wilson in 1998, ESS started out as a subsea technology firm working in the oil and gas sectorbut has since expanded into renewables.