The Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm to be located off Scottish coast is expected to be operational by 2023

Deme Group

Image: Deme’s Living Stone vessel will be used for laying the cables. Photo: Courtesy of DEME.

EDF Renewables UK has awarded Deme Offshore an engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for inter-array and interconnector cables at the 450MW Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm in Scotland.

As per the contract, Deme Offshore is expected to execute the project in 2021.

To be located 15.5km off the east coast of Fife in Scotland, the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm is owned by EDF Renewables UK. The wind farm will take up an area of about 105km². At the location, water depths could range between 45 and 55m.

The wind farm will be powered by 54 of 8MW wind turbines and the layout will be distributed across 12 array strings, each connected via dedicated 66kV inter-array cables. The 6 array loops will then be connected to two offshore substations, with three array loops to each substation and an interconnector between the substations.

Deme Offshore said that engineering activities have already started in order to meet the required project milestones. The wind farm’s offshore construction is expected to begin next June and the wind farm could be operational by 2023.

The wind farm will power 375,000 Scottish homes with clean energy

With the potential to generate 450MW of clean energy, the wind farm will be able to power nearly 375,000 Scottish homes, while offsetting more than 400,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.

DEME Offshore general manager Bart De Poorter said: “We are honoured and delighted to be awarded this EPCI contract in Scotland, and to contribute to the country’s continuous drive and growth towards its target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

“This project further allows DEME Offshore to demonstrate our willingness and capability to assist our clients in achieving innovative solutions, with quick turnaround – something which was of the utmost importance throughout the initial concept and design stages through to final contract signing.

“The capabilities and capacity of our innovative cable lay vessel ‘Living Stone’ has been specially designed to adapt to the requirements of any offshore cable project, ensure flexibility within the field and a guarantee to the meeting of specific project milestones, which has been key to EDF Renewables UK.”

EDF Renewables UK announced that the project construction is now underway after financial close has been achieved. The company said that 25 financial institutions are lending money to fund the offshore wind farm.