TWP Presses Ahead with 1 GW Bowdun Offshore Wind Project

September 17, 2024, by Adnan Memija

Thistle Wind Partners (TWP) has submitted the offshore scoping report to the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate Licensing & Operations team for its 1 GW Bowdun offshore wind project.

The development follows the announcement last week regarding the submission of the onshore scoping report to Aberdeenshire Council for the site.

Located 44 kilometres east of Stonehaven, the Bowdun offshore wind farm will connect to the grid in Aberdeenshire.

In June 2024, UK marine consultancy ABPmer was commissioned to provide marine physical process assessments to support the consenting of the Bowdun and Ayre offshore wind farms, owned by Thistle Wind Partners, a consortium comprising DEME, Qair, and Aspiravi.

Ayre is a 1 GW floating wind project planned to be built off the coast of Orkney and Bowdun is a 1 GW fixed-bottom offshore wind project

TWP secured seabed leases from Crown Estate Scotland for the two projects in January 2022 and, the following year, awarded the first supplier contracts, including a contract with RPS for consenting support services, Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), and Habitats Regulation Assessments (HRA).

The developer plans to commence construction of both wind farms in 2029, with the Ayre floating offshore wind farm being built in two separate phases. Both Ayre and the fixed-bottom Bowdun project are expected to be fully commissioned in 2033.