Thistle Wind Partners Rename 2 GW ScotWind Offshore Wind Projects

March 20, 2023, by Adnan Memija

Thistle Wind Partners, a consortium founded by DEME Concession, Qair, and Aspiravi, has announced the final names for its two ScotWind offshore wind projects.

TWP won the seabed leasing rights for two offshore wind projects in the ScotWind auction last year, in which 25 GW of capacity was awarded.

The consortium plans to build the 1 GW Bowdun offshore wind project, originally named Cluaran Deas Ear, located off the coast of Stonehaven and lying 44 kilometres out from the landmark of Bowdun Head.

The site covers an area of 187 square kilometres (in the E3 leasing zone). The project is planned to feature between 50 and 60 wind turbines with an individual capacity of 18-25 MW each, depending upon the final design choice.

The second wind farm, located 33 kilometres from the East Mainland of Orkney in the NE2 leasing zone, is named the Ayre Offshore Wind Farm, originally called Clearan Ear-Thuath. This will be a 1 GW floating wind project following a similar base case for turbine numbers and capacity as Bowdun.

Construction of both wind farms will commence in 2029, said TWP, with the Ayre Floating Offshore Wind Farm being built in two separate phases.

Both projects are expected to be fully commissioned by 2033, providing enough energy to power 2.4 million households.

“We did need to find some easily recognisable names for the sites before ramping up our external activities. We chose to name the sites after well-known coastal headlands, as they physically point out towards our wind farms, acting as good markers for location”, said Ian Taylor, TWP Project Director.

Taylor added that the company started its supply chain engagement early last year and that they are about to commence community outreach in Orkney and Aberdeenshire.

“With the wind farm expected to have a ten-year development period and then be in the water for a further 25 years or more, we hope to build long-term relationships with businesses and communities in the region“, said Taylor.

TWP is one of the founders of a new initiative from the University of Highlands & Islands to deliver a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) outreach programme for primary schools in Scotland, providing materials and teacher training.