Claims by offshore energy companies that Scottish ports lack required facilities to attract investment from wind turbine manufacturers have been met by outrage from the region’s port owners.
Port representatives contacted The Press and Journal to criticise claims that wind turbine operators were more likely to choose more “attractive” continental ports.
Stephen Thompson from Global Energy Group said the views put forward by speakers at the Offshore Wind and Supply Chain conference in Aberdeen this week, including Luke Bridgeman from German wind turbine manufacturers Senvion were “regrettable”.
Mr Thompson hit back saying that Global’s Nigg Energy Park on the Cromarty Firth “ticks most, if not all of the boxes” for the requirements and that discussions with manufacturers for the location of a new fabrication yard were under way.
He said: “I challenged Mr Bridgman to come and talk to us and visit Nigg Energy Park, where he will see that we can tick most, if not all of the boxes for his requirements. I outlined that Nigg can either be an OEM [original equipment manufacturer] port, or a project port and confirmed that we are in discussions with manufacturers for possible location of assembly/manufacturing facilities at Nigg.
“I also confirmed that Nigg Energy Park can provide a ‘full service solution’, something that he said Scottish Ports could not provide.”
Nigg could be Scotland’s first major renewables hub, Mr Thompson insisted. Global Energy is looking to invest £37million in developing a deep water quayside facility at Nigg due to be operational next year.
Ian Couper, chief executive at industry body Energy North, said: “Over recent years millions have been spent on upgrading infrastructure to make the most of our deep water areas and excellent wind and wave energy potential.
“This includes developments at Shetland, Orkney, Scrabster, Wick, Buckie, Arnish, Kishorn, Ardersier, Inverness, Nigg and the Cromarty Firth. Each of these areas offers a wide range of facilities and services, an able local workforce and supply chain.”
Mr Couper said Scotland should market its facilities more accurately, by mapping the full scale of its marine and offshore capabilities – an opportunity the body is “actively pursuing” through discussions with industry bodies and port operators.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said it continued to work with the manufacturers to “understand their requirements and help deliver the economic benefits to the people of Scotland.”
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