Scottish Power and Shell will provide £75 million in supply chain funding to support development of three floating and fixed-bottom offshore wind projects.
The two companies will provide a total of £50 million in supply chain stimulus funds for their two floating ScotWind projects – MarramWind and CampionWind.
The consortium secured seabed leases for the schemes from the Crown Estate, as part of the nearly 25 gigawatts (GW) of capacity announced in January.
The 3GW MarramWind joint venture will be built around 46 miles off Fraserburgh on the north-east coast of Scotland, while the 2GW CampionWind project will be built about 60 miles south east of Aberdeen.
In addition, Scottish Power said it will provide a further £25 million funding to support its fixed-bottom ScotWind project, MachairWind, which it will develop solo.
The company’s first fixed offshore windfarm in Scottish waters lies off the coast of Islay, and could deliver up to 2GW of clean power.
The funds – announced today at Scottish Renewables’ Offshore Wind Conference in Glasgow – are designed to help create new offshore wind capability in Scotland that would not otherwise be possible.
The consortium said the funding awards will support investment in Scottish infrastructure and offshore wind facilities, as well as helping companies “innovate and upskill”.
Shell UK offshore wind business manager Melissa Read confirmed that the funds are in addition to other direct project investment in supply chain facilities.
“This includes businesses keen to make the transition to the renewables sector through investment in infrastructure, facilities that will manufacture and service offshore wind projects and support for companies to innovate and upskill,” she said.
Scottish Power Renewables new UK offshore sites manager, Mandy Gloyer, said the funds would “open up huge opportunities for the supply chain in Scotland” as the partners step up the development of commercial-scale floating wind.
“We look forward to working with government, partners, industry and the supply chain to shape the funds and maximise their impact on the Scottish economy, with jobs and investment for local people and businesses across the country. This is a really exciting time and a great chance for companies to get involved in delivering a clean energy future.”
Applications to these funds will open up later this year.
However, online supply chain registration portals for all three projects are already live. Further information on the projects and a registration area for potential supply chain partners is available via Scottish Power Renewables and separately at machairwind.co.uk.
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