Green Volt on track to be 'Europe's first commercial-scale floating wind farm' after Scottish OK

UK-based Flotation Energy and Vargronn — a joint venture between Eni's Plenitude unit and HitecVision —have been granted planning permission for a 560MW floating offshore wind project in Scotland.

The project, dubbed Green Volt, has been granted offshore planning approval and remains on track to become the first commercial-scale offshore floating wind farm in Europe, according to a statement by Flotation Energy.

When completed, Green Volt will deploy up to 35 floating wind turbines to deliver renewable electricity to oil and gas platforms, thereby replacing existing natural gas and diesel power generation, as well as providing electricity to the UK grid.

The Green Volt project was among those that bid successfully in Crown Estate Scotland’s Innovation and Targeted Oil & Gas (INTOG) leasing round last year.

The round was divided into "Innovation" projects aimed at de-risking the technological and industrial aspects of floating wind, and the Targeted Oil and Gas projects geared to decarbonising North Sea oil and gas production.

Onshore planning approvals were granted last month, and Green Volt is now at the forefront of projects coming out of INTOG.

“It is great news that we have consented the first project in the Crown Estate Scotland’s (INTOG) leasing round – this is a significant milestone which will help secure Scotland’s place at the forefront of floating wind technology," Scotland's First Minister, Humza Yousaf, was quoted as saying.

“Investor confidence in Scotland’s renewable sector is growing as illustrated by significant investments in ScotWind leasing rounds and in the ports and supply chain infrastructure facilities that will enable the sector to develop," he added.

Olav Hetland, CEO at Vargronn, said: “With Green Volt being Europe’s first commercial-scale floating wind project, achieving offshore consent for the project marks an important moment for the whole offshore wind industry. At 560MW, Green Volt serves as an essential stepping stone from current small-scale projects to gigawatt-size developments, supporting the supply chain in scaling up new technology."

Hetland said Green Volt will deploy pioneering technology "at an unprecedented scale, advancing what is possible in renewable energy”.

Salamander spurt

In a milestone for the Innovation branch of INTOG projects, the Salamander Wind Project company — in which Orsted, Simply Blue and Subsea 7 are partners— submitted last week its application its offshore consent application for a proposed 100 MW floating offshore wind farm, about 35km east of Peterhead, Scotland.

The Innovation projects licensed under INTOG are no larger than 100MW.

Salamander's environment impact assessment scoping report stated that the project will deploy up to seven turbines.

While a range of models will be considered, it was made clear that the partners will follow a traditional design with three blades, a horizontal rotor axis and a nacelle supported by a tower structure affixed to a transition piece or directly to the floating foundation.