Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond has unveiled funding worth £4.3m to create an offshore wind turbine test centre, capable of hosting three full scale wind turbines designed for offshore deployment.
Scottish Enterprise will use the funds from the National Renewables Infrastructure Fund in a joint venture with Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE).
The test centre will be located at the port of Hunterston on the coast of North Ayrshire, a site already earmarked for potential renewables supply chain development in the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan.
Hunterston’s wind resource, which replicates offshore conditions, coupled with its existing grid connection – make it an ideal site for the testing facility which has a key role in developing Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain.
SSE will work with its supply chain partners Siemens and Mitsubishi Power Systems Europe to test their latest turbine technology on two of the berths. The third berth will be operated by Scottish Enterprise and will be leased to a turbine manufacturer which has firm plans to invest in the Scottish offshore wind supply chain.
During the Scottish Low Carbon Investment Conference, First Minister Alex Salmond, said: “We must continue to provide the optimum technical, investment and natural environment for this important industry so I’m delighted that, through Scottish Enterprise, we are able to work with one of Scotland’s great innovating companies on this key offshore wind project.”
