OSLO, Norway, Oct. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A vision of what a
new manufacturing base in Scotland
would need to build for the floating offshore wind revolution has
been unveiled by Ocean Winds and Aker Offshore Wind that will be
used to attract global investors to the country.
The immersive virtual reality design has been developed in
conjunction with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland at
the University of Strathclyde as part
of the early investment process required to develop the major new
industry that will create thousands of local jobs.
An engagement event was held last night at the university with a
range of international fabricators with an active interest in
Scottish developments which would consider setting up here.
The approach taken ensures that international representatives
will have time to design and prepare the base in time for bidding
for work.
With the first steps in the journey of setting up a facility in
Scotland underway, Ocean Winds and
Aker Offshore Wind can move at speed to support the development of
the Scottish supply chain because the companies have already
identified which technology – the 'WindFloat' – they plan to use at
floating offshore wind sites.
The companies are the majority owners of Principle Power Inc,
which has developed the 'WindFloat' steel-based floating platforms
- the world's most proven floating offshore wind technology - to
harness this energy.
The model will be shared globally with fabricators looking to
establish and choose the location of an internationally
cost-competitive site in Scotland
for the fabrication and assembly of floating platforms. And it will
also be used locally with the Scottish and UK supply chain which
stands to benefit from the creation of new jobs and
opportunities.
As part of the current ScotWind leasing round, Ocean Winds and
Aker Offshore Wind have submitted floating offshore bids across
several sites in the Outer Moray Firth that, combined, could
generate 6GW of energy.
As detailed in the partners' supply chain manifesto published
earlier this week, more than 5,000 jobs would be created through
direct work and supply chain opportunities for each site, along
with around 200 apprenticeships.
With an established ScotWind design and the expertise of the
National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, Ocean Winds and Aker
Offshore Wind can move earlier to start the floating offshore wind
revolution.
This in turn enables early engagement with fabricators to help
them get ready for the ScotWind roll-out and shape the design of
the plant based on their fabrication delivery capability.
Around 80 per cent of the world's wind resources are in waters
deeper than 60 metres and are unsuitable for fixed foundations.
Floating offshore wind has become the latest advent in renewable
energy technology and is set to deliver a green industrial
revolution for Scotland with a
'just transition' from the oil and gas industry.
Ocean Winds and Aker Offshore Wind have made a commitment to 40
per cent minimum supply chain content in Scotland as part of a 60 per cent commitment
from the UK, with early enabling investment of tens of millions of
pounds in building supply chain capability within the first four
years of winning a site.
"We are in the business of turning vision into reality," said
Dan Finch, managing director of
Ocean Winds UK. "The first step is to identify the vision. In
the Moray Firth our vision was high-volume, low cost, low carbon
power in water depths of 50m and
more. We made that vision a reality. Now we want to take our
turbines out of the Firth into the deep waters of the North
Sea.
"Our vision is Scotland leading
the world in the commercial scale deployment of floating offshore
wind generation. Today, we have brought that vision to life so we
can share it with the global supply chain who will turn it into a
reality at a site in Scotland."
"We want to capitalise on the extraordinary economic and
environmental opportunity facing Scotland," said Sian Lloyd-Rees, Managing Director of Aker
Offshore Wind UK. "We are committed to working with fabricators
in Scotland and across the UK,
supporting them with early investment and collaboration to get
ready to deliver globally-competitive solutions for Scotwind."
"It is great to see the level of ambition from Ocean Winds and
Aker Offshore Wind in the Scotwind leasing round," said
Cian Conroy, Director of Business
development, Northern Europe, with
Principle Power Inc. "The commitment to scale coupled with the
early selection of technology are key enablers for the future of
floating offshore wind.
"Early engagement with ports and fabricators is key to enabling
the establishment of robust supply chains. This will crucially
tailor the delivery plans for these largescale infrastructure
projects which are essential to decarbonise our energy mix."
NOTES TO EDITORS
The jobs and investment figures in this press release relate to
aggregate figures of a scenario of 6GW awarded capacity over
several sites.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Lanza Knudsen, media
contact, +47 48 44 24 26, maria.knudsen@akeroffshorewind.com
Christian Yggeseth, investor contact, +47 915 10 000,
christian.yggeseth@akerhorizons.com
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Scotwind fabrication
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Scotwind fabrication
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SOURCE Aker Offshore Wind AS