Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm

Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm
Location of Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm in Scotland
Country	Scotland
Location	Aberdeen Bay
Coordinates	57°13′N 1°59′W / 57.217°N 1.983°W / 57.217; -1.983Coordinates: 57°13′N 1°59′W / 57.217°N 1.983°W / 57.217; -1.983
Status	Proposed
Owner(s)	European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre
Wind farm
Type	Offshore
Distance from shore	3 km (2 mi)
Power generation
Units planned	11
Nameplate capacity	100 MW

Aberdeen Bay Wind Farm is a proposed offshore wind farm to be located around 3 kilometres off the east coast of Aberdeenshire, in the North Sea, Scotland. It is being developed by the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre consortium.^[1] The scheme consists of 11 wind turbines with an installed capacity of up to 100 megawatts.^[1] It is to be located between Blackdog and Bridge of Don near Aberdeen.^[2]

Planning

The wind farm was initially proposed by the Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in 2003.^[3] The original plan was for 20 two-megawatt turbines in an eight kilometres long row about 1 kilometre offshore.^[3] A geological survey of Aberdeen Bay was begun in 2007,^[4] and a grant of 40 million euros was offered by the European Commission in 2009.^[2] The proposal at that stage was for a maximum of 23 turbines.^[2]

A planning application was lodged in August 2011.^[5] The application was submitted by Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) in cooperation with two other companies, Vattenfall and Technip.^[5] The proposal was for 11 turbines.^[5] Planning consent was granted by the Scottish government in March 2013.^[6]

In May 2013 Vattenfall announced plans to reduce its stake in the project.^[7] In October 2013 Aberdeenshire councillors rejected a planning application to build an electricity substation.^[8] In December 2013 it was announced that construction would be delayed for two years, with connection of the grid occurring in 2017.^[9] In January 2014 an appeal against the substation vote was lodged.^[10] The developers won the appeal in July 2014.^[11]

Vattenfall decided to proceed with the 92 MW wind farm in July 2016.^[12]

Objections by the RSPB

In 2006 RSPB Scotland expressed concern about the effect the wind farm and Donald Trump's golf course would have on the wildlife on the Aberdeenshire coast.^[13] 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."^[14] By 2012 the RSPB dropped opposition to the wind farm following the reduction in the number of turbines and a change in the layout."^[15]

Objections and lawsuit by Donald Trump

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.^[16] 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."^[13] In September 2011 the Trump Organization filed an objection to the planning application.^[17]

In May 2013 Trump launched a legal challenge against the Scottish government's decision to grant planning permission for the wind farm.^[18] The hearing began at the Court of Session in November 2013,^[19] but was rejected in February 2014.^[20] An appeal against the decision was heard at the Court of Session in January 2015,^[21] but Trump lost the appeal in June 2015.^[22] After the decision Trump said he would appeal before both the Supreme Court of the UK and the European Courts.^[22] Trump was unanimously found to be the loser of the case by the UK Supreme Court in December 2015.^[23]

References

External links

• Project website
• Government documents
• Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group
• Technical details, 4c