Plans to build windfarms in the North Sea have taken a giant step forward after the Crown Estate announced it has agreed leases for two sites off Fife and Tayside.
The Crown Estate announced that agreements for five sites in Scottish waters have now been reached.
As well as Inch Cape in the Tay Estuary and Neart na Gaoithe off Fife Ness, leases have also been agreed for Argyll Array and Islay on the West coast and Beatrice in the Moray Firth. The five sites could generate 5GW of electricity.
Spanish firm Repsol Nuevas Energias UK wants to develop the Inch Cape site, while Mainstream Renewable Power intend to create a windfarm at Neart na Gaoithe.
Tayside and Fife hope the offshore wind industry will transform their economies as turbine manufacturers and maintenance companies establish themselves in Scotland.
Spanish wind turbine builder Gamesa is expected to announce soon whether it is to create a manufacturing base in Dundee or in Hartlepool in England.
The Crown Estate’s Scottish Commissioner, Gareth Baird, said: ”We’re very pleased to achieve this important milestone, and will continue to work closely with Scottish Government and developers to progress projects and attract investment, with the aim of helping meet Scotland’s ambitious targets on renewable energy production.”
Scottish Government rural affairs and environment secretary Richard Lochhead said: ”We welcome the announcement by the Crown Estate Commissioners to take these hugely important developments to the next stage.”
The agreements will allow developers to take out a lease on part of the seabed if their application is approved by Marine Scotland.
Gareth Fuller/PA Archive