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Moray West seeks to remove capacity limits

By: Bridget Randall-Smith 14/09/2020 4C Offshore

General Windfarms

EDPR and ENGIE are seeking to remove the capacity limit for the Moray West offshore wind farm to enable installation of more powerful turbines.

The project, located 22.5 km from the Caithness coastline and in 35-54 metre water depths, has been in development since 2017 with offshore consents granted in June 2019.

Having been unsuccessful in the last CfD Auction round, Moray West has been exploring various options for developing the project, including the installation of larger turbines. Analysis found that doing this will require increasing the consented blade width.

Moray West has applied to Marine Scotland to increase the blade width from 6 metres to 6.6 metres for 72 wind turbines, each with maximum blade tip height of 265 metres (HAT) and rotor diameter of 230 metres.

Additionally, the developers are seeking to remove the maximum generating capacity limit of 850 MW. Doing so would grant additionally flexibility to the project enabling Moray West to install new and improved turbine models higher capacity but still within consented turbine parameters in the design envelope.

Moray West has submitted and accompanying Screening Report in request for a formal Screening Opinion from Scottish Ministers on whether or not the proposed variation will require any changes to the approved EIA. The developers believe the proposed variation will not require any further EIA analysis.

EDPR and Engie intend to launch competitive tenders for key tier 1 packages in 2020 and 2021 in advance of next years CfD round. The array cables, offshore export cables and onshore export cables will be tendered as EPCI packages whereas contracting for the supply and installation of the substation foundation and topside will be tendered separately. Similarly the turbine supply and commissioning will be separate to turbine installation.

If unsuccessful in the next CfD auction, the developers will identify an alternative route to market. The project is aiming to be fully commissioned in 2024/25 with an operational life span of 25 years.

This story was first reported exclusively for 4C Offshore subscribers. For more information, click here
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Moray West seeks to remove capacity limits

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