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The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC), also known as the Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm[2] is an offshore wind test and demonstration facility located around 3 kilometres off the east coast of Aberdeenshire, in the North Sea, Scotland. It was developed by the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre consortium.[3] The scheme is relatively small - it consists of 11 wind turbines with an installed capacity of 93.2 megawatts.[4] It is located between Blackdog and Bridge of Don near Aberdeen.[5] First power was generated in July 2018,[6] with full commissioning following in September 2018.[4]
| European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre | |
|---|---|
.jpg){kind=small} | |
 | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Location | Aberdeen's Bay |
| Coordinates | 57°13′N 1°59′W |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | September 2018 |
| Construction cost | £335 million[1] |
| Owner | European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre |
| Wind farm | |
| Type | Offshore |
| Max. water depth | 32 m[1] |
| Distance from shore | 3 km (2 mi)[1] |
| Hub height | 120 m[1] |
| Rotor diameter | 164 m[1] |
| Site area | 19 km2[1] |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 2 × 8.8 MW 9 × 8.4 MW |
| Make and model | Vestas V164 8.4-8.8MW |
| Units planned | 11 × 8.5 MW[1] |
| Nameplate capacity | 92.4 MW |
| External links | |
| Website | group |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
The wind farm was initially proposed by the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in 2003.[7] The original plan was for 20 two-megawatt turbines in an eight kilometres long row about 1 kilometre offshore.[7] A geological survey of Aberdeen Bay was begun in 2007,[8] and a grant of 40 million euros was offered by the European Commission in 2009.[5] The proposal at that stage was for a maximum of 23 turbines.[5]
A planning application was lodged in August 2011.[9] The application was submitted by Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in cooperation with two other companies, Vattenfall and Technip.[9] The proposal was for 11 turbines.[9] Planning consent was granted by the Scottish government in March 2013.[10]
In May 2013 Vattenfall announced plans to reduce its stake in the project.[11] In October 2013 Aberdeenshire councillors rejected a planning application to build an electricity substation.[12] In December 2013 it was announced that construction would be delayed for two years, with connection of the grid occurring in 2017.[13] In January 2014 an appeal against the substation vote was lodged.[14] The developers won the appeal in July 2014.[15]
Vattenfall decided to proceed with the 92 MW wind farm in July 2016.[16] The plan was for 11 turbines each of 8 MW placed 3 km from land,[1] with a contract for the assembly of suction bucket foundations for the turbines contracted out to Smulders Projects UK.[17]
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American billionaire Donald Trump purchased a large part of the Menie estate near the village of Balmedie in 2006. He proposed to build a golf course, with a hotel, holiday homes and a residential village.[18] He expressed his concerns about the wind farm in April 2006 stating that "I want to see the ocean, I do not want to see windmills."[19]
In 2006 RSPB Scotland expressed concern about the effect both the wind farm and Donald Trump's golf course would have on the wildlife on the Aberdeenshire coast.[19] In 2011 the RSPB called for "more planning, research and monitoring ... to ensure we truly understand the impact this site may have on local birds."[20]
In September 2011 the Trump Organization filed an objection to the planning application.[21]
By 2012 the RSPB dropped its opposition to the wind farm following the reduction in the number of turbines and a change in the layout."[22]
In May 2013 Trump launched a legal challenge against the Scottish government's decision to grant planning permission for the wind farm.[23] The hearing began at the Court of Session in November 2013,[24] but was rejected in February 2014.[25] An appeal against the decision was heard at the Court of Session in January 2015,[26] but Trump lost the appeal in June 2015.[27] After the decision Trump said he would appeal before both the Supreme Court of the UK and the European Courts.[27] Trump's appeal was unanimously dismissed by the UK Supreme Court in December 2015.[28]
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Connection work began in early 2017. The turbines are mounted on unusual suction bucket foundations. The sea cables are 66kV.[29] There are more than four miles of high voltage underground cable between the substation in Dyce (on the outskirts of Aberdeen) and the wind farm's onshore substation at Blackdog.[30] The first foundation was installed offshore in March 2018,[31] and the first turbine was installed in April.[32] The eleventh and final turbine was erected near the end of May.[33] First power was generated in July 2018,[6] with full commissioning following in September 2018.[4]
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