Scotland has good technical capability to support offshore wind port functions in some locations, but there is a significant risk that existing port capacity will be insufficient to support the offshore wind build-out rates required in Scottish waters to meet the UK-wide net-zero target, a new report by Crown Estate Scotland reveals.
The report, titled: Ports for offshore wind: A review of the net-zero opportunity for ports in Scotland examines how Scotland’s ports and harbours can tap into the huge potential of offshore wind in the years to come.
It actually follows the launch of Scotland’s first offshore wind leasing round for a decade, ScotWind Leasing, which is to kick start Scotland’s new generation of offshore wind farms and build new demand for operations and maintenance facilities to support major projects.
The research by technical consultants Arup found that while Scotland already has a strong and thriving ports sector, there are various steps the region could take to maximise the future potential of Scottish ports to host the major offshore wind projects set to come to Scotland.
If applied successfully, these steps could ensure that Scotland’s ports are ideal to support the major expansion of offshore wind in Scotland, and help the country take a major stride towards Net Zero.
Recommendations
The recommendations of the report include:
- Taking steps to increase the port capacity that is suitable for large scale offshore wind developments
- Establishing a national strategic approach to the development of offshore wind port facilities
- Developing new optimal operation & maintenance facilities which open up the right opportunities for Scotland’s ports
This is an important piece of work, which should act as a roadmap for both public and private sectors in Scotland to ensure that our ports and offshore wind sectors collaborate effectively and maximise the potential that offshore wind can bring to communities,
…Director of Marine for Crown Estate Scotland, Colin Palmer, said.
Encouraging, cross-sectoral collaborations in areas like energy and transport exemplify the opportunities available through our ‘Blue Economy’ model, and the important role it will play in both our economic recovery from coronavirus and our path towards net-zero,
…said Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham.
Find more in the following report:
