Turbine visible of new £500m project

A £500 million offshore wind farm, visible from the coast around Stonehaven, has started to take shape.

The plans were developed by Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Ltd (KOWL) and with the first dot on the horizon now appearing – six more turbines are expected to follow by the end of 2020.

Almost 600ft tall and expected to generate power this year, the turbine is nine miles offshore between Stonehaven and Aberdeen.

KOWL director Allan Macaskill said the project would be the world’s biggest once complete.

Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Limited was set up by former deputy

“It will be the biggest floating wind farm in the world”

first minister Lord Nicol Stephen, who is a director.

It is operated by Pilot Offshore Renewables.

The wind farm was expected to cost £250 million when planned in 2016, but will now cost closer to £500 million.

Mr MacAskill said the development would require £350 million to build, with lifetime operational expenditure likely to be £150 million.

He added: “All in, this wind farm will be about 49 megawatts. When finished it will be the biggest floating wind farm in the world.”

The development plan for the Kincardine test and demonstration project had envisaged eight turbines, but a variance applied for last year has seen that drop to seven.

At two megawatts, the first turbine to be connected is less powerful than the six units to follow.

They will be among the most powerful in the world, with a potential rating of 9.5MW each.

The Kincardine development is expected to produce enough power for 56,000 homes

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